Drying food is the oldest preservation technique known to man. Since stone age, foods that are known to deteriorate quickly were salted and dried to increase their shelf life. Drying enabled a constant supply of food even in the most hostile seasons when the availability of food was limited. Very soon, our palates started liking this preserved flavor, be it rain or shine!
Early human beings figured that salting and drying enabled them to store fish for quite a long period of time. Salting creates a high salt environment and drying creates an absence of moisture. Both these conditions are unsuitable for microbial growth and hence the shelf life of fish goes up considerably. This unique food with preserved flavor can now be on your dinner table by seafood delivery in Bangalore.
Both seawater and freshwater fish can be salted and dried. Popular varieties of fish that are dried for preservation are Seerfish, Mackerel, Sardine, Bombay duck (lizardfish), Anchovy, Indian Salmon and shellfish like prawns. All of these varieties can now be ordered through seafood delivery in Bangalore.
Dry fish, due to the process of preservation they go through, lose some nutrients like B-complex vitamins but they retain most of their other nutritive qualities. They are a great source of rich proteins without saturated fats. They contain a fair amount of good cholesterol, Vitamin D and minerals like Potassium, Selenium, Zinc, and Iodine. Dry fish is a great source of protein too. During monsoons when fishing is prohibited due to stormy conditions at the sea, seafood delivery in Bangalore ensures a yearlong supply of dry fish. However, it should be eaten in small quantities as it contains a high percentage of sodium.
The process of drying fish can be seen in the extensive coastline India is blessed with. The fierce summer sun and the raging winds in the beaches dry the fish quickly. Dry fish, although relished by some people, is more of an acquired taste. They offer a rustic and extreme taste and are eaten as an accompaniment rather than the main course. Dry fish is often curried or fried in coastal Indian cuisine. A spicy and pungent ‘chutney’ is made from dried prawns in the Malabar coast. You can now prepare these rare exotic dishes in your own kitchen, thanks to seafood delivery in Bangalore.
Dry fish, besides being a source of protein on a ‘rainy day’, also provides a source of income for the fishing community in the monsoons, when entry to the sea is forbidden for fishing.
