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Have you ever wondered about the plenty of fishes in freshwater and oceans that you haven't tried? You don't need to visit Mumbai/Goa or even Digha and Puri beaches to try out new seafood. These places are surely filled with various delicacies famous for their taste.
But if you want to try something truly unique, why not look around for local sources of fish found in freshwater sources? These fish can only be found during monsoon season and are very difficult to come by every now and then.
When filled with water, rice fields, and paddy fields have small fish during monsoon season, making them a great delicacy for non-veg lovers. As mentioned earlier, Jharkhand is full of abandoned waterfalls and freshwater sources. These regional fishes are caught by setting up natural traps from these sources.
You can try these regional fishes to taste deliciousness that cannot be found outside Jharkhand. These fishes cannot be farmed or bred easily and are only available during monsoon season. Keep reading!
Local Fishes To Devour During Monsoon
Shol Fish
Shol Fish or Channa Striata is found during the monsoon season in freshwater rivers, ponds, and lakes in Jharkhand, teeming with shellfish, also referred to as snakehead murrel. Jharkhand cuisine makes extensive use of shol fish. Shol fish curry is a well-liked meal in which fish is cooked with mustard oil and regional spices in a thick, spicy stew.
Baim Fish
Baim Fish, also known as Mastacembelus Armatus, has a solid texture and subtly sweet flavour. It is well-known for being meaty and boneless, making it simple to prepare and consume. Baim fish, sometimes referred to as tyre track eels, are frequently discovered in Jharkhand's freshwater rivers and streams. Baim fish is commonly cooked as Baim macher jhol.
Chithal Fish
Chithal Fish, scientifically known as Notopterus Notopterus, has a flaky, soft texture and a mildly sweet flavour. It is greatly valued for its soft meat, which readily absorbs the flavourful spices used to cook it. Chithal fish are great fishing finds in Jharkhand's rivers, lakes, and ponds. They are also called bronze featherbacks. Chithal fish is cooked with mustard paste and a mixture of spices to make a flavourful dish similar to Ilish.
Girai Fish
During the monsoon, Jharkhand's rivers and lakes are home to large populations of Girai fish, also called Kuria Labeo or Labeo Gonius. Girai fish fry is a well-liked dish that involves seasoning the fish with spices and shallow-frying it until it turns crispy. Girai fish has a firm texture and a gentle, slightly sweet flavour.
Baila
The baila fish, sometimes called the Wallago catfish or the freshwater shark. These are found in Jharkhand's rivers and vast bodies of water, especially during the monsoon season when rising water levels provide the perfect habitat for the fish. Traditional fish broths and stews from traditional Jharkhand cuisine also contain this fish.
Most of these fish are found in freshwater sources, and small species of the same fish can be readily captured in paddy fields. Get to know more about flavour through these fishes.
