Dry fish fry (karuvadu varuval in Tamil, sukhi machi fry in Hindi) is not every ones cup of tea, because of its smell and taste. But I love the taste and about the smell, aim used to it. Whenever my grandparents come to Chennai, my grandfather love to visit fish market in the morning and I was the one who used to use to give him company. We always go by walk by talking to each other, as the market was not so far and it will be my school holidays. As soon as I enter the fish market I used to close my nose with my fingers, as I cannot tolerate the smell of those fishes, especially the dried fish but now iam used to it and I love to visit markets.

Dry fish (karuvadu or sukhi macchi ) is very salty as it is marinated in sea salt (fish mongers rubs the fresh fish with sea salt) and left to dry in the sun like how we do for pickles. Fish mongers sell variety of dry fishes like Anchovy (nethili meen in tamil), King fish ( vangaram meen), Ribbon fish(Vallai meen), which we buy and mostly used . It is not eaten like any fresh fish fry at our home, few pieces of fish is enough, like a pickle it is eaten with other side dishes. If dry fish is fried, it can be eaten with simple dal and rice. It is cooked without adding salt and chilli to it. It is a very simple and easy dish.

At our home when ever dry fish is bought, we prepare it in many forms like frying, making khar (dry fish grounded with spices and mixed with fried onions) and dry fish curry. You can keep it in the cupboard for many days or months, if ants are there then can keep it in the fridge.