East Indian Fried Dry Bombil Masala#FishFriday

Dry Bombils are eaten mainly during the rainy season. A few years back it used to rain so heavily that no fish was available in the market so my mother use to fry these dry bombils masala.

In Bombay these are readily available, mostly brought during winter, then cleaned, dried again in the sun and then stored for use  through out year. In this recipe, we fry the bombils after marinating it with freshly ground red masala. These can be frozen and fried whenever required, stays good for months. This is my real comfort food, whenever I want something tasty, spicy and crispy.

Ingredients
10 - 12 Thick Dried Bombay Ducks/Bombils - cleaned
8 - 10 Dried Kashmiri Red Chillies
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
8 Big Cloves Garlic
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
Salt To Taste
½ Cup + 2 Tablespoon Vinegar
Oil as required for frying

Method

Wash the bombay ducks/bombils well in water, then soak in vinegar for 10 - 15 minutes. 

Now clean them by cutting the stomach, tail and fins with a kitchen scissors.

Soak the red chillies in warm water for 30 minutes. Squeeze out the water and some of the seeds too.
In a small grinding jar add the red chillies , cumin seeds, garlic and turmeric powder. Grind this to a fine paste adding 2 tablespoons vinegar. Do not add too much water, while grinding can add 2 tablespoons, if necessary add more vinegar and grind this to a fine paste. Add salt, grind it again so that it well mixed. 

Take the soaked bombils from the vinegar solution and apply this ground paste to it well. Then take a meat mallet and lightly flatten them. At this stage you can freeze them in a single layer in an airtight container. Keep them aside for 10 - 15 minutes.

Heat oil in a broad frying pan , add 2 - 3 tablespoons of oil, arrange the bombay ducks and fry them on medium low flame till they are crisp and brown on one side

then flip them and fry till that side too is crisp and brown. 

Fried Dry Bombil Masala is ready to eat.

Enjoy this with just dal rice or even roti sabzi, they taste delicious.
My Notes
You can also use this Vindaloo Masala, add about 2 - 3 tablespoons and grind with garlic, salt and vinegar.

Labels: Seafood/Fish, Dried Bombils, Bombay Duck, 
East Indian, Fried, Vindaloo Masala, Fish Friday, Comfort Food , Main Course 

Fish Friday Foodies
Comfort Food Recipes

Hosted by Sue Lau
Bourride from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Cheesy Mixed Seafood Gratin from Food Lust People Love
Crab and Rice Croquettes from Palatable Pastime
Creamy Crab Soup from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Creamed Salmon from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
East Indian Fried Dry Bombil Masala from Sneha's Recipe
Fish Po' Boy Sandwich from Making Miracles
Popcorn-Battered Fried Fish, Remembering Oklahoma, and Kids in the Kitchen from Culinary Adventures with Camilla 

Are you a food blogger who would you like to join Fish Friday Foodies? We post and share new seafood/fish recipes on the third Friday of the month. To join our group please email Wendy at wendyklik1517 (at) gmail.com. Visit our Facebook page and Pinterest page for more wonderful fish and seafood recipe ideas.

Fried Bombils / Bombay Ducks With Temprado Masala#FishFriday

Our Theme this month for Fish Friday Foodies is Inspired By Your Travels and our host is Camilla M. Mann . 

Goan are basically fish eater's and they love to eat fish every day. I have visited Goa umpteen number of times. What I, enjoy eating most is their fish preparations, tangy, spicy .. mouth watering. This is one of the recipes of Goa, a simple and spicy fried fish with Temprado Masala- Homemade, some call it Green Recheado Masala or Green Masala. 

Bombils have a lot of water content and the secret to perfect crisp fried bombils is to remove as much moisture as you can from the fish before frying them. Makes a great appetizer as they taste the best from pan to the plate!

Read My Notes and follow each step carefully before you start - to get a crispy and tasty Fried Bombils.

Ingredients
10 Fresh Bombils /Fresh Bombay Ducks
3 Tablespoons Heaped Temprado Masala- Homemade
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Heaped Fine Rawa/Semolina or as required
¼ Cup Heaped Rice Flour or Corn flour - I used rice flour
Oil as required for frying

Method 

Wash and clean the Bombils.

 Slit each of the bombil lengthwise. 

Open up each of the fish and flatten them with your hands. 

Place them on the kitchen platform.

 Take another plate and cover the fish

 Keep some weight over that plate. (This is done to remove all the water from the bombils). for 30 to 45 minutes.

 Pat them a fresh kitchen towel ( I use an old cloth which I can throw away ). 

They should be absolutely dry.

Rub salt. Apply the Temprado Masala- Homemade , individually on all sides using your hands. Keep this aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes or more in the refrigerator.

To Crumb Coat

Mix the rawa and rice flour well, spread it in a plate and keep aside.
Now tilt the plate in which the Bombil is marinated to remove excess water. Take each Bombil and press it into the rawa - rice flour mix on both sides nicely by pressing to crumb coat well.

Keep the crumb coated Bombils aside covered and refrigerate them for at least 15 minutes. 

Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil and place only 3 Bombils in a pan to fry at a time. (see My Notes for frying ). 

Fry till golden brown. Serve this with tomato slices or any green salad with a drizzle of lemon juice.  

So yummy and finger licking.

My Notes 

Do not add too much oil in the pan to fry the Bombils or else they disintegrate. 

Do not crowd the pan with too many Bombils at a time.
Fry one side on high flame for 2 minutes then reduce the flame to low and leave it to golden brown one side, then flip and just drizzle a teaspoon of oil on the pan and fry this side on low flame only till golden brown and crisp.
Do not flip the fish too many times, the Bombils will disintegrate. 

Wait till one side is perfectly golden brown done, then flip it carefully, tenderly with love. 

Labels: Fish Friday, Seafood/Fish, Goa, Fried, Bombay Duck, Bombils, Starters, Main course

Baked Salmon and Veggie Parcels by Food Lust People Love
Foiled Fish with Mango by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Fried Bombils and Bombay Ducks with Temprado Masala by Sneha's Recipe
Irish Fish Cakes by Karen's Kitchen Stores
Pickled Fish, A Plethora of Textures, and Memories of a Holiday Trip to Denmark by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Senegalese Fish and Rice (Thiéboudienne) by Making Miracles

Bombil Chinchoni Without Coconut And Oil

What differentiates East Indian food from other Indian cuisines, is its use of masala. The Bottle Masala, which forms the basis of most East Indian preparations, is made up of 36 ingredients, which are hand-pounded to give the food a unique taste. This Chinchoni is mostly made in Mother's house and is a traditional recipe, sometimes with coconut or without,  with a single type or fish or mix of different fish. 

This is without coconut and oil. In this recipe the 'chinch' or the sourness comes from tamarind.  This is tangy and lightly spicy curry.  This can be had with steamed rice or Hand Breads (Apas) -East Indian.

Ingredients
8 Bombils -  or any fish
500 ml water
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Tamarind paste

For the Masala

5 - 6 Dried Red Kashmiri chillies

4  Garlic flakes - roughly chopped

1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder

2 Teaspoons Rice - washed

Method 

Soak red chillies in hot water for 1 hour. Drain and grind with remaining masala ingredients to a smooth consistency, gradually adding 3-4 tablespoons of water,or as required.

Wash fish and set aside to drain. 

In a pan or mud vessel (which we East Indians call it a treezal), add the ground masala, tamarind paste, water and over low flame, let this boil for 10 to 15 minutes.   Adjust the consistency of the gravy and sourness accordingly, then only add the fish. After 15 minutes add fish and bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 4 - 5 minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice.

My Notes

You can add any fish  or a mix of two or three different types of fish.  

Labels : Chinchoni, East Indian, Seafood/Fish, Curry, Oil Free, Tamarind, Main course, Bombils, Bombay Duck