Bombay Duck…

[Tempest63]

…is not duck, but a fish 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombay_duck#:~:text=At one time%2C 13 tonnes,approved freezing and canning factories.

 

In the formative curry eating days of my youth it was always my preferred starter in a British Indian Restaurant, being dry, salty and fishy…it appealed. Like marmite you either loved it or hated it.

 

Then the EU banned its importation following a food poisoning scare and the producers back in India couldn’t meet the strict EU processing rules. Now it is back in force and I see it in most of the Indian grocers that I frequent.

 

I have recently been considering adding some to flavour ghee or oil at the beginning of the cooking process, similar to the way some dissolve anchovies in oil at the start of a ragu, or similar; a process I often use to add that extra Umami.

 

I have trawled the web and can find no previous reference to using BD in this way and wondered whether anyone else has come across the process?

 

I Know BD can be made into a pickle https://www.hildastouchofspice.com/2012/07/dried-bombay-duck-chilli-fry-sukha-bombil.html where it is partially rehydrated and then fried, but I was specifically thinking of it as a tempering, possibly ground up to a fine powder.

Edited August 16 by Tempest63 (log)

[Maison Rustique]

I have no idea about it, but how interesting! Thanks for posting all this info.