Mumbai Food: Make most of fresh catch before it disappears from menus

Fishermen unload their catch at Mahim Chowpatty. Pic/Sameer Markande

Sour and spicy

"With the rains here, there is no guarantee of getting fresh pomfret, rawas, surmai and prawnson day-to-day basis. so I would recommend that people try our bombil sandwich and pulimunchi [puli means sour and munchi spicy] prawns," says Girish Shetty, owner, Jai Hind Lunch Home.

Bombil sandwich

The bombil sandwich, which is their speciality is made with two pieces of the fish marinated in salt, turmeric and lemon. The highlight is the stuffing of a prawns mix made with fresh coriander, dry and fresh coconut, green chillies, garlic, tamarind and salt. This piece is then coated in egg and breadcrumbs and fried on the pan. The pulimunchi is a gravy dish that can be tried with rice or a bread of your choice, with some cooling solkadi on the side. They also offer tandoor versions of rawas, pomfret, surmai and prawns made in Hyderabadi style, or with pepper or garlic. Jai hind also offers filling seafood thalis for those looking for a flavuorful filling lunch option.

At Jai Hind Lunch Home outlets across the city.
Cost Rs 290 (for bombil sandwich)

Holding the Fort

King pomfret fry

Pratap Lunch Home in Fort has been pulling in the crowds of the commercial area for 58 years now. They stick to their time-tested recipes and some special additions such as lobster and prawns peri peri. Some of their all-time hits are king pomfret fry, surmai and bangda fry and squid sukka, which one must try.

Time: 11.30 am to 12.30 am
At: Lucky Mansion, Janmabhoomi Marg, Fort.
Call: 30151016

Goan sojourn

Surmai Recheado

For chef and owner Meldan D'Cunha getting the right fresh catch every day for his Goan speciality dishes is a must. "Big fish such as surmai, rawas and ghol completely disappear during the rains. So we have to import from states such as Gujarat and Odisha, but it comes at a price. Small scale fisherman also bring in small bombil sometimes, and some freshwater fish, but that's it. Mumbai is a big market for fish so the imports from neighbouring states is what we have to rely on as we don't sell frozen fish. In case I do manage to get these fish, I marinate them and don't store them for more than two or three days. Calamari is out of question too. As for big prawns, most restaurants serve cultivated ones as all the tiger prawns caught from the sea are either exported in bulk or snapped by five stars," says D'Cunha.

Time: 12 pm to 3 pm and 7 pm to 1 am
At: Pali Mala Road, opposite Pali Vegetable Market, Pali Hill, Bandra West.
Call: 7208316545

Coast Along

Bangda ambat tikhat

Since fishing has stopped, there is already a shortage of big fishes such as bombil, surmai and rawas. Such is their shortage that they inform us that the dish name provide to us might not even be available by the time the paper hits the stands. Crabs are still available. Gajalee too sources their fish from Vishakhapatnam when there is a no availability as they don't use frozen fish and do marketting every day. Their must-trys include surmai fry, surmai tikka and surmai curry too. Pomfret fans, call for their stuffed pomfret or their pomfret curry made in spicy Malvani style with yellow chillies. As for the delicious rawas, try their tandoor version.

AT: Gajalee outlets in Andheri, Vile Parle, and Lower Parel.
Call: 26166470 (Vile Parle)

The ethics of fish eating

' The coastlines of India have taken a severe beating due to overfishing. This has made the state's fisherman stop fishing for two months to support breeding and their livelihood.

' According to marine researchers one must pick a fish which isn't in the breeding, pregnancy or carrying phase. Log on to knowyourfish.org.in and inseasonfish.com for the ethical seafood calendar.

Also try

Rawas or surmai rossa koddi and Fresh Catch balchao.

AT Fresh Catch, near fire brigade, off LJ Road, Mahim West.
Cost Rs 380 and Rs 410

Fish Thekady, pomfret or rawas fish marinated in ginger and garlic paste.

At Ankur - The Coastal Bistro, Meadows House, M Shetty Marg, Kala Ghoda, Fort,
Cost Rs 600 and Rs 550

Bangada Tikhale, rawas fry and bangada fry.

At Chaitanya, Chinchh Bhatt Chawl, opposite Aagar Bazar, near Siddhivinayak Temple, Dadar West.
Cost Rs 150, 220 and 150

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