Fishing for compliments with the OG

In pescatarian love language the sign of a true blue Mumbaikar is onersquos appetite for a good bombil rava fry Recently we noticed chefs giving the native fish innovative twists Bombay Duck Rs 1250 on the agrave la carte menu at Ekaa in Fort is inspired by a Japanese eel dish that is served on rice called hitsumabushi When chef Niyati Rao couldnrsquot get a consistent supply of eel at Sassoon Dock she switched to Bombay Duck which has a similar texture ldquoIt is served with gor keri made from mangoes jaggery and soy sauceFernandes includes bombil in the XO sauce used in his egg fried riceThe dish also has spicy pickled cucumbers made using their homemade vinegar made by boiling it with coriander seeds and Byadagi chillies When it cools down we actually leave the thin slices of the cucumbers in it to marinate for a weekrdquo says Rao explaining that bombil doesnrsquot have the nuances of other fish but has an extremely versatile texture Rao who grew up in Madh Island says ldquoOut of seven days six days we consumed fish Bombay duck was always the hot favourite on the table I never understood why it was a poor manrsquos fish We even ate mudskippers called nivati Itrsquos a misconception that bigger the fish the tastier it is In fact the more exercised the fish the more deliciousrdquo she explainsChef Gresham Fernandes of Bandra Born also has fond memories of consuming the fish in his childhood ldquoMy favourite is an oldschool bombil fry with rava East Indians make a dry bombil thecha My mom also makes a spicy masala version with recheado Itrsquos made by marinating the soaked dried Bombil in the masala and then slowly frying it We make this with white onions you get before the rainsrdquo says Fernandes mentioning another childhood favourite ldquoWe would toast dried bombil in the ashes of a koylaThe Bombay duck is a key part of Raorsquos agrave la carte menuOnce crisp it was paired with ricerdquo says Fernandes who incorporates bombil to make his XO sauce condiment served with the fried rice Rs 875 ldquoOur XO sauce is made with dried bombil ham prawn and Doctorrsquos brandy ldquoIt is a process of long braising mdash we cook bacon and ham and render the fat adding in chilli soy and sugar To this we add Doctorrsquos brandy and cook it slowly In goes the prawn and dry bombil It is cooked till all the fat is released You get the crusty taste of socarrat similar to the burnt rice at the bottom of a paellardquo Fernandes explainsAt the recently concluded Jazz and Sassoon Festival Smoke House Deli Colaba featured a quinoa crusted crab meat stuffed Bombay duck Rs 875 which will be back on the menu after the monsoon ldquoThe festival celebrated the culinary and music heritage of Colaba The Bombay duck was given a crispy quinoa crust providing a familiar yet interestingly new contrast in textures The crab meat stuffing was infused with herbs and spices to bring a nuanced depth that elevates the humble and delicate bombil We served it with a side of scalloped potato squares giving an inspired take on a classic fish lsquonrsquo chips with an avocado chilli chutneyrdquo says Rollin Lasrado its executive chefAgriKoli indulgenceAvinash Nalawade right with a Koli chef at the festivalDrop by the Agri Koli Mejwani food festival to celebrate the fare prepared by Agri and Koli communities from the coastal regions of Maharashtra Avinash Nalawade chef de cuisine says ldquoWe have invited local Agri and Koli women food to bring generational knowledge and authentic techniques to the preparation of these traditional dishesrdquo Agri cuisine is rooted in the agricultural practices and ingredients include rice millets and lentils eggplant pumpkin and leafy greens Dishes include bharli vangi bhakri served with gramflour based pitla Koli cuisine on the other hand is heavily influenced by the fishing communityrsquos heritage Delicacies include Kolistyle chicken sukka mandeli fry makul fry and kombdi vadeFrom June 28 to June 30Time 730 pm onwardsAT Courtyard Pavilion Courtyard By Marriott Navi Mumbai NerulCall 2268769999Bombil on our mindMasala bombil frySous chef Tibbar Singh marinates the fish with egg white lemon juice and degi mirch powder Then he crumbs it with rawa semolina and deepfries it to golden perfection ldquoPaired with a side of spicy chili mayo our boneless Bombay duck fry offers a delightful crunchrdquo says SinghAt Badmaash Andheri WestCost Rs 555Parab prepares a bombil thecha roll PicsSatej ShindeBombil thecha rollPrasad Parab culinary partner and chef makes boneless bombil fish fillets rolled over a traditional chilli garlic thecha filling It is then crumbed and cooked ldquoThe secret lies in the freshness of the fish that bends easily to form a roll The crumb part has to be handled delicately We serve the rolls with an aam murabba aiolirdquo he revealsAt The Mackerel Story Shop No 1 New Development Road opposite Takshila Society Gate No 2 Mahakali Andheri EastCost Rs 359Bombil tempuraBombil has its own unique flavours which come from its natural juices ldquoWe avoid pressing the fish unlike many others to retain its moisture And marinate it with simple Japanese sake and mirinrdquo says Aashish Negi chef de partie The bombil tempura has a crunchy karagestyle tempura made with boneless fillets served with ponzu sauce and sriracha mayonnaiseAt Coast amp Bloom second floor Kohinoor Square Shivaji Park DadarCost Rs 495 plus taxesBFF Bombay Fried FishThis version is marinated with lemon juice Kashmiri red chili powder and gingergarlic paste The use of Japanesestyle Panko breadcrumbs gives it a light and crispy texture while keeping it moist and tender inside Abhijith Sunilkumar head chef gives us with a few tips ldquoAlways use fresh fish as it has a shorter shelf life and clean well and rinse thoroughly to remove sliminess A temperature of 175degC is ideal for deep frying Too hot and the outside will burn before the inside is cooked too cold and the fish will absorb more oil becoming greasyrdquo he advisesAt Cirqa Lower ParelCost Rs 499