Say Hello to the Bombay Duck and the Pomfret

No matter where we live, we've often come across varied recipes for fried fish. Here are two fishes that are essentially part of the Mumbai region (once called Bombay) in Maharashtra, India, and are identified with its cuisine (although their names seem to be something out of Alice in Wonderland). I've been feeling very overwhelmed by the different climate, familiar cooking smells, favourite foods...returning to the city after a year, picking up where I left off with family, friends, relatives, all the important people in my life...I lost track of time and didn't realise how soon three weeks sped past and I realized guiltily that I haven't updated my blog yet.

I have been eating great food although not snapping pictures half as fast, hence the delay in my posts. The first thing I would love to introduce you to is the Bombay Duck which is not a duck at all but the fleshiest fish - you can eat it whole...bones and all (after taking away the head and other not so edible portions)! Take a look...

Bombay Duck

The best way to eat it is fried - remove the head, fins and tail, smear the flesh with a spice mix (turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala, ground ginger paste, salt), coat it with Indian semolina (to the semolina, add a little salt and a pinch of asafoetida [optional]) and shallow fry it. Yum cubed!

Salted and Spiced Bombay Duck

Another favourite of mine is pomfret, another Mumbai speciality. I missed snapping a photo of the whole pomfret but you will find images on google. The fish sellers cut them up into slices. Add the same spice mix and coat with semolina and shallow fry.

Salted and Spiced Pomfret Pieces

I helped my mother prepare these two different fishes with the same recipe. There is a definite difference in taste because of the two different types of fish but they are both very, very delicious. Can be paired with just about any kind of drink - whether white wine or tequila, even.

Platter of fried Pomfret and Bombay Duck (the fried Bombay Duck pieces look like chicken tenders)

I also made a prawn (shrimp) curry with coconut gravy paired with white rice for a lovely, lazy Sunday noontime meal. Even more delicious if its raining outside.



Coconut Prawn Curry

 

 

I spent many more afternoons eating similarly prepared fishes. I've noticed a change in flavours - my mother adds ginger but my mother-in-law adds garlic paste and tamarind to the spice mix and skips garam masala. The fried fish always tastes amazing though! It's one of my favourite Mumbai dishes.