From: paulchem@tigger.cs.Colorado.EDU (Atharvan)
Subject: Re: Chala or Mathi (Re: Kerala, delicates:)
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 06:20:45 GMT

In article <1a30olINN1jk@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> be952@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Paul Alukal) writes:
>
>Well, regarding Kerala delicacies, how come no one is thinking
>about Chala (Saradines)? If you go to Newark, NJ there is a place
>called "Iron Bound Section" where most of the people are immigrants
>from Portugal. One can get very nice Chala  there, from Portugal.
>Tastes delicious, any way you cook it.
>
>Paul Alukal
>The Population Council
>New York
>
>paul@popcbr.rockefeller.edu (work)  be952@cleveland.freenet.edu (play)

1] Hmm, at long last another Paul.
   Anyway, the very mention of chaalas have made me awfully hungry.
   Right now, I want my mom to cook for me. Now.
  
   Can anyone tell me if such fish can be bought anywhere near d.c. ?
   E-mail please, because may not read a.c.k.
   But may as well post too. Im sure many other mallus may like it.

2] Folks remember the days when you could get 50 chaalas for 1 rupee in 
   Kerala ? Then by 1988 it became like 4 chalaas. Inflation.

   When we were kids in school, and the reg. price of sardines was something
   like 15 chaalas for 1 rupee. me and my cousins went to the chavakkad 
   beach for a day on the beach, and found the fishing boats bringing in
   fish to the wholesale people on the beach, just 2 km, from our house.

   Amazing but true, we paid 2 rupees for nearly 300 fish.
   Mom and my aunts got pretty much upset because of all the work that
   represented. Ultimately we had to throw away most of it as fertilizer.

   My grandparents talked of a time when Sardines were used regularly as
   fertiliser and even shrimp was considered too lowly for higher castes.
   I guess Inflation helps level out things.

   But even in my schooldays at the Betheny School in kunnumkulam,
   I found some kids disgusted at chaalas.

   On a related note, the aila, is a delicious fish too.
   Does anyone know the english name for this fish ?
   It seems though that eating too much of the aila can make you get
   rashes, as they absorb bad stuff from the water or some such.

   There is a shop in bangalore near the majestic bus stand that
   serves fried fish in the Kerala style for those who miss home,
   even when so close to home. I preferred to go there instead of
   the more classier places (It was also light on my pockets.)

   There is a terrific place in Bangalore, next to the Wipro
   offices I worked in, and behind the Barton Court, called the
   Coconut grove, where they play those classical malayalam songs
   by yesudas etc while they serve you delightful kerala, coorg
   and goan cuisine. Many delightful hours eating Sorpotel(yum yum)
   and appams (yum yum yum). God, I want my mallu food.

   Again any such place in d.c. ?
   Please to notify.

   (Actually thats a bit heretical, my uncle operates two Indian
   restaurants in the baltimore area, but they serve Indian food
   as opposed to mallu.)

   

3] Mmm, Im hungry.
   Off to the vending machines.
   Some day vending machines in Kerala, will serve fried fish. 
   All those in favour say aye. :-)

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.   Rain makes me remember,                                                .
.   The sunset of that golden hour,                                        .
.   When my eyes were first opened,                     Paul Chemmanoor    .
.   And I saw your eyes, No longer blind.                   Boulder.       .
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