The firm, boneless flesh of small sharks, with a mild flavor and a dense, meaty texture that flakes into coarse crumbs when cooked. A prized everyday fish along the Tamil Nadu coast, where the cartilaginous skeleton means there are no fine bones to pick out.
Where it comes from
A common catch along the coasts of Tamil Nadu and southern India.
In the kitchen
Steamed and hand-crumbled into flakes, then stir-fried with shallots and spices, as in the Chettinad breakfast dish sura puttu.