Fish anyone?
Bombay Duck left to dry in the sun at Nani Daman beach.
The Bombay Duck (Harpadon Nehereus) is a variety of fish that tastes best when salted and dried. I am a big fan of dried fish.
I remember my grandmother drying inch-long puthis first on a soot-blackened sieve over low coals and then putting them out on the tin roof for sun drying. She would have a maid constantly shoo the cats and crows away from the mat woven from fresh bamboo on which she spread the small fish. Once the fish was hard-dried, she would throw in one or two in the fire till they crackle slightly, while she would boil carrots, celery, pumpkin, chillies, wild zucchini, edible flowers, cherry tomatoes, teasle gourds and an occasional potato. She would then mash all the vegetables with some water. While adding salt and mango ginger, she would pound the puthis and garnish the vegetable mash with the powder and a dash of raw mustard oil.
I like Bombay Duck roasted over live coals or fried and cooked with ram-horned eggplant. Those are traditional forms of cooking Bombay Duck. We Assamese also pickle Bombay Duck. In Bombay, I came across a Parsee preparation that uses vinegar, jaggery, cumin, dried red chillies, and salt, which flipped me out.
What reminded me of Bombay Duck? Well I was at Nilgiris supermarket yesterday looking for a pack of Bombay Duck. An entire week's craving for the fish ended in a resolute no from the store assistant.
The Bombay Duck (Harpadon Nehereus) is a variety of fish that tastes best when salted and dried. I am a big fan of dried fish.
I remember my grandmother drying inch-long puthis first on a soot-blackened sieve over low coals and then putting them out on the tin roof for sun drying. She would have a maid constantly shoo the cats and crows away from the mat woven from fresh bamboo on which she spread the small fish. Once the fish was hard-dried, she would throw in one or two in the fire till they crackle slightly, while she would boil carrots, celery, pumpkin, chillies, wild zucchini, edible flowers, cherry tomatoes, teasle gourds and an occasional potato. She would then mash all the vegetables with some water. While adding salt and mango ginger, she would pound the puthis and garnish the vegetable mash with the powder and a dash of raw mustard oil.
I like Bombay Duck roasted over live coals or fried and cooked with ram-horned eggplant. Those are traditional forms of cooking Bombay Duck. We Assamese also pickle Bombay Duck. In Bombay, I came across a Parsee preparation that uses vinegar, jaggery, cumin, dried red chillies, and salt, which flipped me out.
What reminded me of Bombay Duck? Well I was at Nilgiris supermarket yesterday looking for a pack of Bombay Duck. An entire week's craving for the fish ended in a resolute no from the store assistant.