The best way to enjoy bombil or Bombay Duck is to shallow fry it with rava or semolina and serve it with dal and steamed rice.
Crispy, deep-golden Bombay Duck add a satisfying crunch to the weekend menu at home, even during the monsoon when it's difficult to source fish. Pomfret, surmai aka Kingfish, Rawas aka Indian salmon are rare to sight in the market these days, but it's never too difficult to source at least one vataa of bombil or bombili as it is also called.
Kids love Bombay Duck because it doesn't have too many bones and can be made into a simple, coconut-based, non-spicy curry that goes well with rice and papad.
For me, this delightful dish of Bombil Fry Curry is comfort food especially when the longing for seafood kicks in during the months of June and July.
Bombil Fry Curry
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
- 10-12 bombil or Bombay Duck, preferably the small or medium-sized ones
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- 2-3 green chillies, slit lengthwise
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2-3 tsp fish masala (please see the recipe below)
- 2 pieces kokum, soaked in a small bowl of water
- ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- Salt to taste, around 1 tsp
- ½ tsp rai or mustard seeds
- ½ tsp jeera or cumin seeds
- 2-3 tbsp oil
- Small bunch green dhania or coriander or cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- Water
For the fish masala
- ½ cup freshly grated coconut
- 1 tsp red chilly powder
- 3-4 garlic pods, peeled
- 1 inch-piece ginger, roughly chopped
- Water
For the fish marination
- ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- ½ tsp ginger-garlic paste
- Pinch salt
Method
For the fish marination
- Wash and clean the fish.
If the fish is big, cut it into smaller pieces, or the whole fish can be used, as is too.
Drain the excess water.
Add the salt, ginger-garlic paste, haldi powder and gently rub the masala all over the fish to ensure that it is well-coated.
Keep aside to marinate.
For the fish masala
- In a blender/mixer, combine all the ingredients for the fish masala and grind to a smooth, thick paste.
Do not add too much water.
Keep aside.
For the bombil curry
- Heat the oil in a large kadhai or frying pan over medium heat.
Add the jeera seeds, mustard seeds and let splutter.
Add the curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
Add the chopped onion, slit green chillies and saute.
Once the onion turns translucent, add the chopped tomatoes and stir.
Cover the kadhai and let the tomatoes cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
Uncover and stir well.
Add the fish masala and saute over medium heat for a few minutes until the oil begins to separate.
Add the water and stir.
Add the soaked kokum along with the water.
Turn up the heat and let the curry come to a boil.
Then reduce the heat and add the marinated fish.
Add more salt if required.
Take off heat, cover the kadhai and let the fish cook in the hot gravy.
If the fish is added to the boiling gravy, it may disintegrate.
Don't overcook the fish as it will become really soft and break.
Add the chopped coriander and serve hot with steamed rice.