Samudra

Samudra, the Sanskrit word for the ocean, is the name on a tinned fish label, and its tin on our shelves is jack mackerel in natural juice with salt added. Jack mackerel is a firm, meaty fish with a fuller flavour than tuna, and packing it in its own juice keeps the taste clean, so it can go into almost any dish without competing sauce.

It sits in our tinned fish collection, part of the fish category in the tins and ready meals department. Beside it you will find jack mackerel in tomato sauce and curry from other makers, as well as dried fish and prawns and Maldive fish for the more traditional Sri Lankan flavourings.

Natural juice mackerel is the tin Sri Lankan cooks reach for when making fish cutlets: drained, flaked and mixed with mashed potato, onion, green chilli, curry leaves, pepper and lime, then rolled, crumbed and fried. The same mixture fills fish buns, patties and Chinese rolls. It also makes a quick tempered fish dish with onion, dried chilli and mustard seeds, a fish sambol with coconut, or a mackerel curry with coconut milk and goraka. Because the fish is plain, you control the salt and spice completely.

Drain the tin well before making cutlets, as excess liquid makes the mixture too soft to shape. Pick out any larger bones if you prefer, though the soft ones are edible. Once opened, move leftovers to a covered bowl in the fridge and use them within a day or two. To compare Samudra with other brands, browse our full tinned fish shelf or the BTM range.