A Bhagath Singh’s mom, Kalavathi, would at all times eye the head of the largest fish in Ennore’s Thazhankuppam market. “These fish would weigh up to five kilograms,” says the Puducherry-based impartial researcher. Once she secured the head, she would go dwelling and cook dinner it entire in a fiery kulambu.
Bhagath’s reminiscences of his late mom and her love for cooking seafood, varieties the opening chapter of the recently-released bilingual ebook, Seasoned by the Sea (Neithal Kaimanam), printed by Uyir Publications. The ebook, a compilation of recipes from throughout the Coromandel coast, has pictures by impartial photographer M Palanikumar. It is the results of a collection of interviews and analysis by Bhagath and geographer R Niranjana between 2021 and 2023.
Once at dwelling, the girls had been relaxed, speaking about their on a regular basis lives and household as they chopped onions and sliced fish.
| Photo Credit:
M Palanikumar
Bhagath and Niranjana have curated 43 recipes with a concentrate on Ennore and Pazhaverkadu (Pulicat), aside from Kasimedu, Besant Nagar, Pattinapakkam, and Puducherry. Bhagath, a local of Ennore, is a post-doctoral researcher with the French Institute of Pondicherry whereas Niranjana teaches Geography at Queen Mary University of London. Niranjana, a former journalist, was in Ennore in 2021 for a analysis mission. During her many interactions with fisherwomen and fish sellers at the Thazhankuppam market, she realised how readily they shared recipes.
“At one point, I thought, why not put these together as a book,” she says.
The pictures not solely seize the vibrancy and number of the meals, but additionally the heat of the girls behind them.
| Photo Credit:
M Palanikumar
Along with Bhagath, she got down to persuade these girls to reveal their recipes. It just isn’t simple to get a fisherwoman to bask in a leisurely dialog when she is at work, not to mention get her to take one to her kitchen from the market. “She is either busy or exhausted,” says Bhagath. Niranjana although, saved at it, regardless of their unpredictable schedules.
Once at dwelling, the girls had been relaxed, speaking about their on a regular basis lives and household as they chopped onions and sliced fish. It is these tales that type the spine of the ebook. Interestingly, the chapters are named after the girls who shared the recipes: Madhavi from Kattukuppam, Lakshmi and Saroja from Annai Sivagami Nagar, Uma from Odaimanagar… Palanikumar’s pictures not solely seize the vibrancy and number of the meals, but additionally the heat of the girls behind them.
Bhagath and Niranjana have curated 43 recipes with a concentrate on Ennore and Pazhaverkadu
| Photo Credit:
M Palanikumar
Through the recipes, the authors assist readers get a glimpse into the tradition and ecology of the Coromandel coast. Mekala, as an illustration, whereas she shares madavai recipes, talks about how her husband Desingu would catch fish utilizing a small purse web in the river; Sangeetha shares tales about her life after she married a fisherman from Ennore, whilst she shares her kavalan meen kulambu recipe; Saanthi and Sokkammal from Thoniravu village, resettled from Sriharikota, speak about working and residing by the battle of being displaced, as they put together prawn urundai kulambu.
The ebook has been designed by Anthoni Guruz, who has additionally contributed line drawings.
| Photo Credit:
Special association
Bhagath says that they’ve focussed on sea meals varieties which are outstanding to every area. “We have over 10 crab recipes from Ennore and Pazhaverkadu alone,” says the 40-year-old, including: “There is puttu, kulambu, biryani, and rasam.” The ebook paperwork a number of distinctive, region-specific dishes; these embrace prawn suttadhu, parai kudal kulambu, prawn kulambu with shell on, prawn vaada, conch pepper fry, and thirukkai pakoda.
The ebook paperwork a number of distinctive, region-specific dishes
| Photo Credit:
Special association
Bhagath factors out that they’ve additionally turned the highlight on the politics surrounding the industrialisation of Ennore. “Ennore’s identity has been reduced to its pollution, and the resulting stigmatisation. We wanted to show how the people have adapted; their culture and politics too,” he says. Niranjana provides that their ebook is an try at displaying that life in Ennore will also be “vibrant and joyful” regardless of the air pollution and degradation over the years.
The ebook illustrates how fisherfolk from the Coromandel coast, all the means as much as Nagapattinam, use loads of tamarind and chilli powder of their cooking
| Photo Credit:
M Palanikumar
For lots of people in the metropolis, seafood is restricted to sankara (purple snapper), vanjiram (seer), and vaaval (pomfret). “But there is so much variety that is not known. We wanted to introduce them,” says Bhagath including that this may also assist in ecological conservation.
The ebook illustrates how fisherfolk from the Coromandel coast, all the means as much as Nagapattinam, use loads of tamarind and chilli powder of their cooking. “These two are the main ingredients,” factors out Bhagath. “Coconut is not used much, perhaps due to less availability,” he provides. “Raw mango is added to the kulambu to enhance the sourness of the tamarind, depending on the type of fish: mathi and nethili, for instance.”
A Bhagath Singh and R Niranjana with their ebook
| Photo Credit:
M Palanikumar
The response from the fisherwomen, evident throughout their two occasions in Ennore and Pazhaverkadu after the launch, was heart-warming. “When they saw the book, they felt happy that something they’ve been doing for a living is now being seen as art,” says Bhagath. “They felt that not many people respect their profession, let alone them. The book changed these perspectives.”
Seasoned by the Sea is offered at neidhal.web
Published – March 27, 2025 08:01 am IST
