Fried Fish

सशल्कानां च मत्स्यानां शल्कं स्फोट्यं प्रयत्नतः । स्थूलाश्चेत्खण्डशः कार्याः लघवश्चेत्सरूपतः ॥ २४ ॥ मत्स्यानां छेदयेच्छीर्षं पुच्छं तेषां च पक्षिणाम् । विपाट्य जठरं तस्मादन्त्रकाण्यपसारयेत् ॥ २५ ॥ कह्लांकरोष्ट्र बडिशा दग्धा खवल चाचुकैः ? । पाठीनैश्च तथैतेषां पृथक् कृत्वा शिरः पचेत् ? ॥ २६ ॥ मत्स्यानां घर्षणं कार्यं तैलेन लवणेन च । यावत्पिच्छलतां याति मत्स्यगन्धश्च नश्यति ॥ २७ ॥ क्षालयेदुदकैः पश्चाद्धरिद्राकल्कमिश्रितैः । वस्त्रे बध्वा निपीड्यैतान् स्रावयेत्सङ्गतं जलम् ॥ २८ ॥ क्षिपेत्पूर्वप्रसिद्धेषु प्रपकेष्वाणकेषु तान् । स्वल्पे काले गते सूदः स्थालीमुत्तार्य धूपयेत् ॥ २९ ॥ मत्स्यखण्डानि धौतानि चिञ्चाम्लेन विपाचयेत् । ततो गोधूमचूर्णं तु विकिरेत्तेषु सर्वतः ॥ १५३० ॥ तप्ततैले क्षिपेत्तानि पिङ्गान्युत्तारयेत्ततः । एलामरिचचूर्णेन सैन्धवेन च भावयेत् ॥ ३१ ॥

Of fish that carry scales, the scales are to be knocked off with care. If they are large they are to be made into pieces; if small, kept in their own form. One should cut off the head of the fish, and the tail of those fin-bearers. Having slit the belly, he should draw the entrails out of it. Kahlāṃ, karoṣṭra, baḍiśas, dagdhā, khavala, together with the cācukas, and likewise with the pāṭhīnas, the sheatfish, which carries no scales — of these, having separated the head, one should cook it. The fish are to be rubbed with oil and with salt, until they go slimy and the fishy smell is destroyed. Afterwards he should wash them with waters mixed with turmeric paste; having tied them up in a cloth and pressed them, he should let the gathered water run off. He should throw them into the prapakas and pans already made known. When a little time has passed, the cook should take the pot off the fire and fumigate it. Or he should cook the washed fish pieces right through with tamarind sour; then he should scatter wheat flour over them on every side, throw them into heated oil, and take them out when they are tawny. He should finish them with powdered cardamom and pepper and with rock salt.