Taste of Sunday: My favourite fish

Today, we had guests coming over for lunch, so I decided to go to the fish market to prepare a delicious fish dish.

I woke up early and headed towards the market, which is nearly four stations away from our house. Since it was Sunday, the roads and even the metro were empty, with very few passengers.

The morning light was perfect for an outing, and the atmosphere was pleasant, ideal for a restful and chill Sunday, as you can see in the picture.

I stepped out of the metro and took an auto-rickshaw since the market was 1-2 kilometers away from the station.

I reached within five minutes, and there it was—the entrance to a wonderful world of fish. The whole scene was bustling with the vibrant energy of fishermen, Koli women with small baskets of fish for sale, and customers like me, ready to bargain for the right catch.

There were some crows and cranes ready to pick up any fish that had spilled onto the side lanes. As usual, I roamed around to check out the variety of fish and their prices. There were plenty of prawns, pomfrets, tuna, crabs, mackerel, and my favorite, Bombay ducks.

It's a kind of wholesale and partly retail market, so if you buy in quantity, you might get a good deal. I first picked up some oysters since my wife loves them, and then I searched for the best Bombay duck.

For those who are unfamiliar with this fish, Bombay duck is found mainly in the Arabian Sea, near the western coastline of India, particularly around Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay during the British era). The name "Bombay duck" has nothing to do with ducks, though!

So, I bought some Bombay ducks for around 500 rupees. They were probably more than half a kilogram. You can refrigerate them, and they'll last for a week. Generally, they're fried with semolina to give a crispy texture and tender taste within 5 to 7 minutes. That's why they're my favorite. The market was quite crowded, with buyers bargaining, sellers calling out, crates being dragged around, wet floors, and the fresh, fishy smell in the air.

I got my fish cleaned by a woman whose only job was to clean fish. They sit in rows, cleaning them.

As I headed home, I was already thinking about the taste of the fish. After reaching home, I cleaned them again, soaked up the excess water with tissue paper, and shallow-fried them for breakfast. I like them with some salt and a little bit of masala.

And here it is—fresh, tasty, and tender!

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Category: Food