Fish is the New Meat

Fish is fast replacing chicken in restaurants and homes across the Capital.

Written by Shantanu David

February 9, 2012 02:06 AM IST

4 min read

There was a time when fish wasnt really that popular in the city. Used extensively in the East and South Indian kitchens,it had limited appeal to the rest of the population. But all that is changing now,and fish is becoming increasingly popular among diners in the city. Chef Abhinav Sharma from Xes Café,a continental restaurant in Delhi,says,Till recently,North Indians largely treated fish as a novelty starter,because of limited availability and freshness factors. Add to it the fact that the North Indian palate is heavily skewed in favour of strong spices and butter,which all but kill the subtle flavours of fish. The smell is also a big factor for a majority of the clientele.

Riding high on its nutritive values (high in protein,low on fat and filled with the goodness of omega fatty acids),fish is the new global it-food. Chefs all over the world are extolling the nutritive and culinary virtues of different varieties of fish be it the pricy bluefin tuna or the humble sardine. According to Woon Foo Siow,chef at Delhis Royal China restaurant,Fish is becoming very popular as a main course. It is light,healthy and easy to digest. Due to its high phosphorous content,its good for the eyes and skin. Even dieticians recommend fish rather than chicken and other white meats.

Almost every continental restaurant in the city worth its name has a fairly extensive seafood menu these days. While prawns have always been a staple,now youre more likely to find a large variety of fish flashing their fins at you from the menu card. Sole (both river and sea) and pomfret are mainly served by mid-scale establishments while the pricier eateries are likely to serve sea bass,rainbow trout and bluefin tuna. Sharma says,People who have money have an increasing interest in the exotic. So,a lot of restaurants have started serving Norwegian salmon and other fish to cater to them.

Earlier,Delhi being a land-locked state did not really have access to fresh fish on a regular basis. Once in a blue moon,you could get some nice fresh fish,otherwise youd be confined to a week-old,usually smelly,fish. Chef Shamsul Wahid of the Smoke House Grill and Smoke House Deli says,One of the biggest factors that contributed to the low popularity of fish earlier was the unavailability of fresh fish. Today,due to a better logistics system put in place by the suppliers,fresh fish is available on a daily basis everywhere be it meat shops or supermarkets.

Fish is also versatile with a range of textures and flavours and may be processed in countless methods. Whether one wants to have it raw (for example,the classic Tuna Tartare) or beer-battered and fried,or baked fish accomodates itself to the needs of chefs as well as homemakers. Wahid says,Since there are a lot of options,people are free to choose what they like and this is another reason why fish is so popular.

The reason for this growing regard for fish is multi-fold. Health concerns being the biggest crowdpuller,a slew of food shows on television,set in foreign locales and showcasing their local cuisines,also whet the appetite of consumers. Sharma says,There is much more exposure to the global cuisines due to increased foreign travel,particularly to the East.

So,if travelers see some exotic dish abroad,they are keen to have it back home too. As Wahid concludes,Fish has never been more popular. Today,in Smoke House Deli,fish items sell more than the chicken ones.

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