Crisp fried Fresh Bombay Duck (Bombil)

Bombay duck is not a duck (quack! quack!) but a fish. It is also known as Bombil. Fresh Bombay duck is very delicate & needs gentle handling while frying.The fish is moist & succulent from the inside & crisp on the outside when fried. Bombay duck goes well with steamed rice & dal fry. When used in a curry the fish is very tender & soft. Enjoy this crisp fried fresh Bombay duck with fries; very light on spices and tastes amazing. This recipe is an all time favourite with my family & I just can’t wait to share this one with you…Happy Bombay Ducking! J

12 fresh Bombay Duck (boneless or retain bone)

1 tsp. Red Chilli pwd.

1 tsp. Cumin pwd.

¼ tsp. Tumeric pwd.

1 tbsp. Lemon juice/ vinegar

3 tbsps. Corn Flour

1 Egg (lightly beaten)

Salt to taste

Vegetable Oil for deep frying or pan frying

1 cup dry Bread Crumbs

3 tbsps. Corn Flour /Rice Flour

Clean the fresh Bombay duck by gently removing the head, the side fins, the insides of the mouth & cut the tail. ( I get this done by the fishmonger).

Slit the fish along its length & debone gently. Do not cut through completely; spread the fish open into a flat fillet.

Quickly wash the fish & drain thoroughly. Use kitchen towels to absorb excess water or keep in a strainer with some heavy weight to strain out excess water.

Transfer the drained Bombay duck to a bowl & to this add add lime juice /vinegar, red chilli pwd., cumin pwd., beaten egg & mix well & keep aside for about 10 mins.

In a large plate mix dry bread crumbs, corn flour/ rice flour & mix together.

Then roll each Bombay duck in this dry mix & pat gently so that the fillet is coated well on all sides & place on a plate. Chill for about 10 mins.

To fry the Bombay duck, heat sufficient oil in a deep wok till hot.

Reduce heat to med. & gently slide each fish into the wok.

Fry in batches on sufficiently high heat.

Fry on both sides till crisp & light golden.

Use a slotted spoon to drain the fish completely & place on absorbent paper. Alternatively, you can pan fry if you wish but be gentle as the fish is delicate & could break if you don’t handle with care while flipping it.

Serve hot with your favourite chutney or sauce/ketchup. It is excellent with rice & dal or rice & curry.

Tip : The oil should be of correct temperature while deep frying. In case the oil is cold then it will turn soggy & if too hot the outside will brown quickly & the fish may not be cooked through.