As the sun sets and the cold wind starts to breeze, Birhanu Shambel, 29, goes out to work where he makes a living selling whole fried fish from his four-wheeled cart with a large frying pan instilled in it. He works on the streets of Ras Mekonnen Avenue in the Mexico area.

He moved to the capital a couple of years ago from Wolayta Sodo in the Southern Regional State in search of better opportunities. However, Birhanu did not expect the unfolding after he arrived as deep-frying fish in the streets was never the life he envisioned.

"I didn't choose this line of work," he said with a displeased look on his face as he flipped the fish around making sure it was well done.

The pungent smell coming from the cart is hard to go unnoticed with the oil on the frying pan looking darker than usual from repeated use. The pan is half covered with boiling oil giving Birhanu a hard time while moving his cart. He explained that the hot oil is the one thing he could not get accustomed to, showing the tiny dark spots on his hands that appear like nets of a jersey.

The junction route hosts residents of Addis Abeba from several directions returning home rubbing their palms from the cold weather while Birhanu sells his street food wearing a t-shirt that lost its originality from oil splashes. He claims to not mind the weather or ungroomed appearance as it is part of the hustle.

"My jacket is the heat from the pan," he told Fortune.

Birhanu gets his fish from distributors around the Piassa area for 150 Br a kilo and sells one piece from 70-100 Br depending on the sizes. He prefers to buy the ones making their way from Zeway and Arba Minch towns, known for their fish production.

Fried fish has gained popularity as street food in the capital over the years similar to the practice on the lakes lest the views. The former hub for the vegetable market, Atikilt Tera around the Piassa area, is only left with residues of its name now turned into a full-blown fishmongers spot.

Daniel Barega works at one of the distributors in the area, Tsige Fish. His daily routine for the past two years revolves around separating the unwanted skin from the fish holding a huge knife and selling a kilo of fish fillet (Filleto) for 200 Br.

"We use refrigerated trucks to transport the fish," he said. Restaurants are among his customers as Daniel observes the place becoming popular through the years.

The major fasting season for Ethiopian Orthodox followers, Abiy Tsom, which lasts for nearly two months, is a flourishing time for the fish industry, with restaurants and hotels in the capital stalking up their supplies.

In business for over six years, Nile Fish House on Roosevelt Street near Mexico in front of the Kuriftu Apartment Building. The Manager, Yoannes Getachew, said this is the season when customers come flooding through the door.

According to Yohannes, the price of tilapia (Ambaza) fish spiked from 40 Br a couple of years ago to 110-130 Br from the distributors. He believes the decreased supplies contribute to the rising prices and may challenge customers to come by as often as they would like.

The financial importance is not lost on consumers as is the nutritional value.

Ayalkebet Kassaye is a musician with a well-built body posture. He frequently visits the Nile Fish House, with the fasting season being one of the prominent times. He ordered the Nile special for 600 Br with his friend.

"The price is fairly equivalent to the meal," he said.

Ayalkebet observes the restaurant gets crowded over the fasting season. He claims the nutritional value compels him to frequent the restaurant even at other times.

The notion is somehow misleading for Zelalem Debebe (MD), a nutritionist who believes fish produced in Ethiopia has limited benefits compared to the ones in the ocean. According to her, the types used to produce fish oils containing nutrients such as Omega3 and vitamins are mainly found in cold temperate like Canada and the US.

Zelalem said it is still wise for people to substitute fish with meat at least twice a week as it has less fat and is relatively packed with more nutrients.

Landlocked Ethiopia is endowed with several water bodies with a fishery potential of over 94,500 tons annually, meeting about 10pc of the animal protein requirement of the population. The country has 12 major lakes, nine major river basins, and over 200 reservoirs that cover about seven percent of its land area.