{"id":5688,"date":"2026-03-12T06:25:26","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T06:25:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/?post_type=product&#038;p=5688"},"modified":"2026-03-22T01:10:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T01:10:30","slug":"indian-spiny-loach-unsalted","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/?product=indian-spiny-loach-unsalted","title":{"rendered":"Indian Spiny Loach (Unsalted)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Directions for Use<\/p>\n<p>1. Prep &amp; Rinse: Place the desired amount of dry Ayirai in a bowl. Rinse gently in lukewarm water 2\u20133 times to remove any natural surface particles.<br \/>\n2. Seasoning: Since this product is 100% Unsalted, you have full control over the flavor. Add salt according to your taste during the cooking process.<br \/>\n3. Cooking Methods:<br \/>\n* Traditional Curry: Add to a bubbling tamarind-based gravy (Meen Kuzhambu) during the last 5\u20137 minutes of cooking.<br \/>\n* Crispy Fry: Pat dry and toss with a little chili powder, turmeric, and salt. Shallow fry in oil until golden and crunchy.<br \/>\n4. Storage: After opening, keep the remaining fish in an airtight container. For maximum freshness, store in the refrigerator.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<section class=\"faq-section\">\n<div class=\"faq-container\">\n<p><!-- LEFT SIDE --><\/p>\n<div class=\"faq-left\">\n<h2>FAQ<\/h2>\n<p>Have questions?<br \/>\nWe\u2019ve got answers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- RIGHT SIDE \u2304 --><\/p>\n<div class=\"faq-right\">\n<div class=\"faq-item\"><button class=\"faq-question\"><br \/>\n1. What makes the Spiny Loach (Ayirai) special compared to other fish?<br \/>\n<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">\n<p>Ayirai is considered a gourmet freshwater delicacy. It is exceptionally high in Calcium (924mg) and Zinc, making it one of the most nutrient-dense freshwater fish available.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-item\"><button class=\"faq-question\"><br \/>\n2. How do I prepare the unsalted Spiny Loach?<br \/>\n<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">\n<p>Since it is unsalted and ready-to-cook, you can season it according to your preference. It is traditionally used in spicy village-style curries (Meen Kuzhambu) or deep-fried until crispy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-item\"><button class=\"faq-question\"><br \/>\n3. Is this fish safe for children?<br \/>\n<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">\n<p>Yes, it is a great source of natural minerals for growing children. However, as with all small fish, ensure it is cooked until the tiny bones are soft or crispy, and supervise young children while they are eating.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><script>\n  const faqItems = document.querySelectorAll(\".faq-item\");<\/p>\n<p>  faqItems.forEach(item => {\n    const button = item.querySelector(\".faq-question\");<\/p>\n<p>    button.addEventListener(\"click\", () => {\n      item.classList.toggle(\"active\");\n    });\n  });\n<\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":5691,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[37],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5688","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-dry-fishes","7":"desktop-align-center","8":"tablet-align-center","9":"mobile-align-center","11":"first","12":"instock","13":"sale","14":"shipping-taxable","15":"purchasable","16":"product-type-simple"},"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4-2.png",810,810,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4-2-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4-2-300x300.png",300,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4-2-768x768.png",768,768,true],"large":["https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4-2.png",810,810,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4-2.png",810,810,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4-2.png",810,810,false],"woocommerce_thumbnail":["https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4-2-300x300.png",300,300,true],"woocommerce_single":["https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4-2-600x600.png",600,600,true],"woocommerce_gallery_thumbnail":["https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4-2-100x100.png",100,100,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"srilatha.social@gmail.com","author_link":"https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/?author=0"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"&nbsp; &nbsp; FAQ Have questions? We\u2019ve got answers 1. What makes the Spiny Loach (Ayirai) special compared to other fish? Ayirai is considered a gourmet freshwater delicacy. It is exceptionally high in Calcium (924mg) and Zinc, making it one of the most nutrient-dense freshwater fish available. 2. How do I prepare the unsalted Spiny Loach?&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product\/5688","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5688"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_brand&post=5688"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_cat&post=5688"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thulafoods.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_tag&post=5688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}