Archive · 16 Aug 2026
Five Dried Fish Dishes Beyond Bengal Worth Cooking This Week
People in Bengal love a food called 'shutki,' which means dried fish.
But did you know other parts of India enjoy dried fish too?
In Tamil Nadu, cooks make a tangy curry called Karuvadu Kuzhambu.
In Goa, people cook dry mackerel in a coconut sauce with special peppercorns.
In Tripura, dried fish is roasted and mixed with tomato and garlic to make a chutney.
In Kerala, dried shrimp is ground into a chutney powder with coconut that can last for weeks.
In Odisha, sun-dried fish is fried with mustard paste and eaten with rice.
Every state uses its own spices, so each dish tastes very different.
This story shows how one simple food can be loved in many different ways across India.
Shutki-style dried fish dishes have devoted followings in Indian states beyond Bengal.
Tamil Nadu's Karuvadu Kuzhambu is a tangy tamarind curry using dry seer fish, brinjal and drumstick, best cooked in a clay pot.
Goa's Sukya Bangdyache Hooman is a dry mackerel curry with coconut, dried red chillies and Sichuan peppercorns (tirphal).
Tripura's Shidol chutney is a simple roasted dry fish dish with roasted tomato, garlic, green chilli and onion.
Kerala's Unakka chemmeen chammanthi is a dried shrimp and coconut chutney powder, while Odisha's Sukhua bhaja is sun-dried fish fried with mustard paste.
Sukhua bhaja is traditionally paired with pakhala, a watery fermented rice dish.
- Who
- Home cooks and food lovers across India, including regional kitchens in Tamil Nadu, Goa, Tripura, Kerala and Odisha
- What
- A roundup of five dried fish (shutki) recipes from Indian states beyond Bengal
- When
- Not specified in the article
- Where
- India, spanning Tamil Nadu, Goa, Tripura, Kerala and Odisha
- Why
- To highlight lesser-known dried fish dishes outside Bengal and encourage readers to try cooking them at home
- Article focus
- Five dried fish (shutki) dishes from Indian states beyond Bengal
- Regions covered
- Tamil Nadu, Goa, Tripura, Kerala, Odisha
- Dishes
- Karuvadu Kuzhambu, Goan Sukya Bangdyache Hooman, Shidol chutney, Unakka chemmeen chammanthi, Sukhua bhaja
- Main ingredients
- Dried seer fish, dry mackerel, dried shrimp, sun-dried fish, coconut, tamarind
- Signature feature
- Tirphal (Sichuan peppercorns) gives Goan cooking a sharp, unique aroma
- Serving suggestions
- Sukhua bhaja with pakhala (watery fermented rice); chammanthi used like podi with rice or dosa