Amma used different size of Plastic or Anna Aluminium basins and buckets, the tall bucket inside a bigger basin, doubled up to avoid any spillage in the car, they were washed and ready in the dicky (boot or trunk) of the car. At home we were trained to have the dustbins, waist bins in the kitchen and buckets in the bathrooms etc., cleaned and disinfected all the time.
Amma kept a few Paala, old newspapers, handy old clothes in the car and as a general rule the petrol tank had minimum 5 liter petrol. At home Appa, Amma and me, we woke up pretty early between 4.30am and 5am, fish shopping day were more special, Amma would wear a saree that was kept aside for this purpose, which would be removed and put for wash on return. She was particular about the underskirt; it would be a home wear which will be used throughout the fish cleaning and cutting exercise and straight for wash. A rubber slipper with blue strap and sparkling white base with blue border.
There were a few regular places she went to source fish from time immemorial, Kayaluvaaram, the Ashtamudi Lake near our home in Uliyakovil, Kadappakkada fish market during the day, near Benziger Hospital and near Kavanadu close to Jayasankar, Chandran Pillai Uncles home in the evenings. For weddings and out of town delivery it was Neendakara.
Whenever we went out of our jurisdiction in Kollam the protocol of dress and parking of cars had a different strategy. Men would wear Kally Mundu (like the one Silk wears in Sphadikam) and no shirt, just a banyan if possible, ladies in real shabby cotton sarees, car would be parked a mile away and they would walk and walk all for the best bargain. We have done this so many times in Chaavakaad.
Alongside NH47 where young and old guys stand with fresh catch on a string with eerkil, we kids had to spot this, keeping us all awake to observe the scenery and the car would be stopped way ahead and normally the men would walk back after keeping the shirt in the car!!!, the dicky was always equipped with enough containers to hold the fish to the next destination. I still and can never get to the habit of carrying flowers to any home, those days we took what was grown or cooked at home, fish and fruits we got as a bargain from the road. It was a feast all the time.
The fishmongers who came in small boats to the shore knew Amma, and most of the time she would get the whole catch together. And they were always keen to pack it in the various buckets and prevent any spillage. Obviously there would be exchange of pleasantries and they always got a bit more than the settled amount, investing into the future. She was fair and always compassionate.
I have accompanied Amma many many times and seen the competition, there were the Kallushaap (Toddy shop) guys willing to pay a bargain and take the bigger karimeen. We were not so keen for the huge ones, but if there were any visitors expected at home Amma would tell them she wants a few and got them without any objection.
We saw the prices shooting up with the advent of gulf money, the desert dirhams made the poor locals desert even my favorite the humble sardines.
Since there weren’t many cars on our road everyone knew the murmur of the Morris Minor approaching and someone would open the gate and let her glide in. There was so much of action and noise and instructions, it was all about carefully taking the booty out without spilling in the car.
Once it is taken to the cement trough with one of us standing guard, Amma would have her karipetti kaappi (Black Coffee with Royal Coffee powder and Jaggery), have the first course of breakfast ( steamed ethakka and one tharaa mutta puzhungiyathu (Duck Egg Boiled), Duck Eggs are cooler and best for hemorrhage. She would swallow her handful of various medicines and change to her house coat.
I truly do not know till date how this English name came about in Kerala. House Coat, Amma never unbuttoned the housecoat fully, she just opens the top button and slides it down her head like a pillow cover, and it had 2 huge pockets for Amma’s inhaler and keys and later on the cordless phone. Every single dress was custom made by Chechy (Vimalammamma). The special choice for cutting fish was a deeper maroon with brown flowers. Once she walks to the trough through the kitchen door, few chatty, rock salt and sharp knives would be ready.
We also had a raised platform, alongside the rear wall of the kitchen, for keeping the Meen chatty away from any trees and falling objects, it was always kept upside down keeping any creepy crawly out of the scene., the big one down first and the smaller ones on top, so there will not be any breakage when you pull any of the chatty.
The knife was very special it had a pointed edge with a curve and another one was broad and wide to cut the bigger fish. If you like to cook and feed then you will always be very particular about your knife and believe me I carry a few of my special ones wherever I go, I am paralyzed without the right knife.
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