Soodai Karuvadu – Dried Sardines

What is Soodai Karuvadu – Dried Sardines?

Soodai Karuvadu is a traditional Rameshwaram karuvadu — fish that's salted and sun-dried whole or in cut pieces, with fine, soft bones that soften further when cooked. It's commonly known in English as dried sardines. It's known for an intense, bold coastal flavor and a texture that's soft and flaky once fried.

Like all our karuvadu, Soodai Karuvadu comes from the day's catch on the Rameshwaram coast: cleaned by hand the same day, lightly salted with sea salt, and dried in the open sun with no chemical whiteners or preservatives. How we make our karuvadu

Product details

Category

Small Fish

Texture

soft and flaky once fried

Bone note

fine, soft bones that soften further when cooked

Ingredients

Fresh Soodai Fish, Sea Salt

Preparing Soodai Karuvadu – Dried Sardines

Remove any unwanted portions, rinse away surface salt and loose particles, and drain thoroughly. A short soak can help with thicker or tougher pieces; small fish often need only a careful wash. Taste a cooked piece before adding extra salt to the recipe. Step by step: how to clean karuvadu and how to reduce the salt.

A 10-minute soak is enough. Deep-fry or pan-fry until crisp, or cook in a spicy tamarind gravy.

Dried sardines with an intense, unmistakable coastal flavor — a variety many people either grew up on or grow to love quickly. Like nethili, the bones soften enough to eat once cooked. It works especially well for fry, kuzhambu.