It’s bangda time

Although pomfret salmon kingfish surmai and Bombay duck bombil are the showstoppers in most city fish markets with their fancy prices itrsquos the bangda which bags the aam admirsquos attention allyear round especially between October and January Koli chef Harsha Tapke whorsquos been dealing in fresh catch for over three decades says ldquoHar koi khaa sakta hai anyone can purchase and eatrdquo as itrsquos affordable ldquoIt doesnrsquot matter if yoursquore rich or poor bangda provides nutrition and taste to all It used to sell for only Rs 25 around 25 to 30 years ago Even now you get five to six pieces for Rs 200rdquo she adds With Indian mackerel being in season this time of the year fisherfolk restaurateurs and seafood experts decode why Mumbaikars canrsquot get enough of itFresh Catchrsquos Bangda jeera meera rava fry and huggay PicsSayyed Sameer AbediEasy availabilityDevleena Bhattacharjee CEO Numer8 which provides sustainable fishing solutions to fisherfolk tells us mackerel is a surfacelevel fish and is commonly available in the west coast area from Ratnagiri to Cape Comorin She adds that while bangda is available from October to even March in some parts the best quality is found up till JanuaryAnkita and Adith FernandesParag Phadnis owner Eat Well Cold Storage in Mulund West which also delivers to Thane and Bhandup tells us ldquoMumbai gets most of its bangda from Malvan and Goa itrsquos found off the city coast too but the best quality comes from these two regions as the coast is cleanerrdquo The vendor whorsquos been selling fish for over 20 years and shuttles between Mulund and Crawford Market every day for fresh catch informs us that Goan bangdas are smaller in size and tastier than Malvani onesHealthy and pocketfriendlyBhattacharjee notes that the Indian mackerel is easy to catch and one doesnrsquot need heavyduty fishing gear ldquoItrsquos found near the shore so even small motorised boats can get this catch within an hour of fishing Itrsquos a productionfriendly fishrdquo she shares adding this makes it affordable A kilogram of bangda costs about Rs 400 in retail markets Phadnis assertsDevleena BhattacharjeeAnother factor contributing to its popularity is the health benefit ldquoIndian mackerel is rich in Omega3 and selenium which are good for the heart cholesterol and overall vitalityrdquo claims Ankita Fernandes coowner Fresh Catch in Mahim The restaurateurrsquos brother Adith adds that therersquos been a spike in demand since COVID19 ldquoPeople are more conscious about their immunity nowrdquo he points out Kitchen kingAnkita notes that bangda is also fairly easy to clean and therersquos only one bone ldquoIt doesnrsquot go well with mild curries Due to the strong oils it can let off a strong stench if salt and turmeric arenrsquot added before cookingrdquoFrom fries to gravies the fish can be cooked in diverse ways Fresh Catch for instance is famous for its huggay an elaborate preparation of mackerels stuffed with a spicy recheado masala steamed in banana leaf a recipe passed down from their grandmother from Karwar shares Adith Meanwhile Tapke and her son Tanay who founded Bombay State Fisheries add that bangda occupies an important place in the Koli cuisine too ldquoItrsquos generally preferred fried along with rice or bhakri We consume it for the oil in the same way that we eat dry fruits around this timerdquo Tapke explainsBangda coconut curry in Malvan styleIngredientsgtgt 1 onion pound 3 to 4 green chilliesgtgt 1 mackerelgtgt 250 gm fresh coconut gtgt 3 to 4 red chillies gtgt 1 tbsp cumin seeds gtgt 1 tbsp coriander seeds gtgt 1inch ginger gtgt 3 to 4 garlic cloves gtgt 1 tbsp turmeric gtgt 1 tbsp Koli masala or red chilli powder gtgt 3 to 4 kokum pieces gtgt 200 ml water gtgt Few curry leaves gtgt 1 cup coriander leavesMethodCut and clean a fresh bangda Blend together red chillies coriander garlic green chillies ginger coconut cumin and coriander seeds into a paste Pour oil in a pan and drop a few curry leaves and chopped onions Add the masala paste once the onions turn brown Mix well Add salt as per taste put turmeric and red chilli powder Tip in water kokum the bangda pieces and cook for 10 to 15 minutes Garnish with dhania and serve with bhakri Chef Harsha TapkeParag PhadnisTips for the best catchgtgt It should be shiny stale ones lack shine It shouldnrsquot have a red eye advises Phadnisgtgt The stomach should be firmgtgt It shouldnrsquot have scales