It was Sunday when I left my home a little before 6:00 AM last. I headed to the biggest fish market in Chennai with local colleagues for an opportunity to see how the locals shop and see what seafood options were available for purchase. Even a 6AM departure seemed too late because by the time we approached the markets, we were stuck in a traffic of motorbikes, auto rickshaws, and market-goers.
Once we arrived at the entrance, my colleagues led the way, weaving between people and glancing back frequently to make sure I was keeping up. Everyone at the market was dressed casually (myself included) and in waterproof flip flops. No one should wear their Sunday best clothes to the fish market... and for good reason tooš .
Entering the market, I was immediately engulfed by a cacophony of scentsāfish, sulfur, and sweatāas well as sights of customers and vendors yelling prices and grabbing fish with their bare hands. My feet felt the splash of puddles as we did our best to push past the crowds, which moved at a crawling pace like Tetris pieces all moving towards different directions. We all had one thing in common: to purchase the fish we needed ASAP and get out of the bustling market.
I came to the fish market looking for fish that I'd be able to pan fry - preferably Salmon or Cod - but India doesn't sell salmon besides the smaller, lesser known Indian Salmon. After stopping at multiple stalls and vendors, we finally came across a vendor selling Indian Salmon, but they weren't in good condition. Instead, I decided to purchase a large, fresh sea bass, which cost a little over 1500 rupees (approx. 18 USD) that would be best for fish fry. We also stopped by a stall selling shrimp and prawns that had all been caught fresh earlier in the morning, and I purchased 1kg of shrimp for 600 rupees (approx. 7 USD).
After buying fish, we navigated our way towards the outside of the market, where there is an alleyway of fish cutters seated on the ground at the customer's disposal and available for a fee (usually no more than 100 rupees or $1.20). With their long machetes, these experts can de-vein shrimps, scale and gut fish, and cut all types of marine life into fillets.
It's incredible how resourceful and efficient the fish cutters can be with their limited space. If you can get over the stink and heat of standing in that alley, it's quite mesmerizing to watch them work with their expertise. Once everything is cut, they bag them in a black plastic bag for the customers to bring home.
Despite the chaos and stench, I had a lot of fun at the fish market. It was an immersive cultural experience and one that truly made me feel like a local. After scrubbing myself clean of fish juice and sweat after returning from the market, I test fried a few pieces of cleaned sea bass with batter and breadcrumbs. The fish fry turned out phenomenally fluffy and yummy so I guess this entire trip counts as a win!š
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