Jadi, which is believed to have originated in the Southern province in Sri Lanka, holds a special place among the most popular traditional foods in the country. In the past, Jadi production was plentiful and you may have heard of Sri Lankans even going to India to manufacture Jadi in large scale. At present, due to the ever-changing diet, the production of Jadi is very low and this article is about some of the unique aspects related to Jadi-making.
The name Jadi
The word Jadi, which is used in the Sinhala language, can also be found in several Indian languages. The word means a barrel, bottle, jar or vessel. This jar has a narrow mouth and a wide body. In the early days, these containers were used for storing salted fish and later for storing salted and grilled fish. It is possible that the same name may have been used to refer to preserved fish by storing them in the said containers.
Since the name Jadi had an Indian influence, some people thought that this dish also had an Indian influence, but it is not correct. The use of Goraka (a spice) is the best example to prove that Jadi is native to the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. Although the Tamils mainly use tamarind to get the sour taste of their food, Goraka is the most popular spice which is used for preparing fish ambulthiyal in the southern coast.
The Jadi-making technology may have evolved from the Ambul Thiyal fish cooking method itself. Although in many countries only salt is used in the preservation of fish, the use of Goraka for this purpose is endemic to this country.
Fish used for Jadi
Herring is said to be the most suitable fish for making Jadi. In addition, tuna fish are also used for this purpose. In the past, rice people bought Jadi made of herring, while low-income people bought those made of tuna fish. Fish such as seer are also used for jadi, but oily fish such as sharks are not suitable. Large fish, such as seer, are used to make Jadi.
Traditional production method
Home-made Jadi, in the past, was made by removing the fish heads and intestines without using a drop of fresh water. Instead, the fish was washed and cleaned with seawater. The cleaned fish was then placed in large pots, such as clay pots or buckets, with salt cubes and other spices. Adequate amount of salt should be used and too little salt will cause the fish to rot without turning into Jadi.
According to ancient Ceylonese fishermen in the late 1800s and early 1900s have travelled to India to make Jadi, mostly from the Dodanduwa area in Galle. The Jadi makers were taken to India in groups of about 40-50 people. It is said that they stayed there for about three or four months and made Jadi.
The Jadi industry was booming in several areas of India at that time. The team leaders also took a carpenter with the group and his responsibility was to prepare the barrels needed for packing the Jadi. These carpenters and labourers had initially gone to Talaimannar by train.
Later, in the preparation of large-scale Jadi, the fish were washed in seawater and then placed on coconut branches. A small curved knife was used to remove the internal parts of the fish.
The fish were then filled into crates and washed back into the sea. The fish were then placed in cement tanks built along the coast, salted, and fermented.
In the preparation of the barrels in which Jadi is stored, a layer of salt mixture is placed on the bottom and then the fish mixed with salt and other spices.
A piece of sack is then thrown over it and the layer of fish is pushed into it. Again, salt is added to the fish. In this way, the barrels are filled with seawater and then sealed tightly. It is said that about 50-60 such barrels were completed per day in the past.
Food flavoured jar water/ lunijja
Lunijja or Jadi water is a liquid component that is seasoned with fish juice (a liquid-like substance), mixed with salt and other spices. This is kept for the personal use of the Jadi maker and is not for sale. The first half of this is like Lunijja Kirikenda (porridge made from coconut milk). The makers used to take Lunijja out of the barrel, then add a little water to it and heat it up. When it is put in a bottle and kept still, a golden part separates from the top and it is filtered.
It is very fragrant and tasty and can be mixed with many dishes. It was in great demand in an era when artificial flavours were not common, and it is said that a bottle of Lunijja sold for over 50 cents around 1940.
At present Jadi is being produced in the same condition.
Jadi for sale can be seen near the fishing villages on both sides of the Galle Road in the South. The increasing popularity of new food processing methods seems to have led to Jadi becoming less popular.