The evergreen taste of Amritsari fish

Amritsar is famous for its food, particularly street food. No wonder, its residents, fondly called Ambarsariye, are known foodies.

My father was a superintendent at Guru Nanak Dev University and we stayed in the campus.  He used to love the fish fry, a very popular street food for which Amritsar is quite famous. I remember in the late ’70s and early ’80s, I used to go with my father on our Jawa motorcycle to Putlighar, the market nearest to the university at that time.

There, at a corner of Putlighar Chowk, an old lady used to sell fish fry on a rehri (four wheeled cart). As she was quite old, she could not stand for long. So she used to sit on the rehri and fry the fish. My father and I used to go to her regularly. It was the best fish that I had ever tasted. I can still remember the taste. I even remember her face to this day.

Fried fish tastes best when it is eaten hot, right off the karahi, and that’s what we used to do. My father and I would order 250 grams of fish, and when it was ready, we used to sit on the seat of the motorcycle and eat it there.

Sadly, with time and fancy restaurants replacing the small rehri vendors, most such street-food sellers are mostly gone barring a few still known for their famous delicacies. However, golden memories of those old days remain with me forever.

Sukhpreet Muhar, Toronto