Mumbai Food: Experts tell you what all you can make from dried fish

That familiar smell of Mumbai is that of dried fish Whether mackerel or bombil the gaginducing stink is converted into mouthwatering dishes and yet there will be those who will tell you that dried fish is a cultivated taste So cultivated that if you try to search for them in menus across town you will return mostly disappointedMeldan DCunha owner of Soul Fry a Goan restaurant in Bandra tells us that dried fish is unfeasible in restaurants You cook them and the whole kitchen smells he says But that doesnt stop him from enjoying a good dried fish salad mdash made with tomatoes vinegar and dried fish such as mackerel bombil and surmai DCunhas love for dried fish is the same as anyone elses mdash make them when the sun shines and have them when it poursFood historian Odette Mascarenhas who has extensively documented Goan culinary traditions says that the practice of dried fish is extremely local and a way to combat the long monsoon when people couldnt venture out to fish or to the market even However there is no escaping the fact that despite its versatility dried fish is seen as a humble produce Dried fish is not gourmet but it is perfectly acceptable to serve it to guests should it be part of your cuisine Take kismur for instance made of dried prawns It is to be had with rice and prawn curry she saysIf you wish to make the best of Mumbais nonfishing season which ends on Narali Purnima August 25 then dried fish remains your best friend We reach out to four Mumbaikars who have embraced the aromas of dried fishHelen Sankath at her Santacruz home PicSayyed Sameer AbediJawla vangiNo East Indian wedding is complete without the jawla vangi But the Sankaths dont need a special occasion to whip it up We prepare it at whim through the year because the ingredients are readily available in the market and its a tasty and easy recipe to make says Santacruz resident Helen Sankath While traditionally the fish used to be dried at home usually on the verandah or rooftops over the years people prefer to buy it off the shelves The fishermen do half the job by removing water from the fish and drying it in the sun But you have to clean it well because remember these are often dried in the open on the seashore mdash so they are likely to have fine particles she saysShe suggests picking prawns that are white in colour instead of the mild red which she says have a strong stench It is important to remember that fish are dried with salt so you have to take that into account while making any dish with dry fish she says When it comes to brinjal any variant works Sankath uses the signature East Indian masala for spice along with the routine garam masala for flavour The Sankaths have theirs with rice rotisEast Indian dried bombil tisavliHOME chef and caterer Estella DSouza 56 was introduced to the delights of dried bombil only after she married her East Indian husband Cedric In Mangaluru her hometown dried bombil was nearly nonexistentPicsDatta KumbharBased out of Uttan DSouza says that her family has several dishes made of dried bombil in the form of pickles chutnies and bhajis Many of these recipes are thanks to DSouzas interest in her expanding her culinary skills And one among them is a dried bombil tisavli and DSouza prepares a batch for us The recipe involves used spring onions gingergarlic paste and most importantly the famous East Indian bottle masala a community preparation of ground spices Even as she and her family enjoy this curry DSouza harkens back to her childhood We would have dried mackerel roasted in a woodfire and have it with congee It was a simple and great combination she saysGolma chutneyWhile some may crinkle their nose at the overpowering smell of dried prawn Renuka Desai has never had a problem with it Originally from a village on the border of Malvan and Karwar Desai a Thane resident learnt to prepare the jawala kismur a chutney made with small prawns in her late teens It has been a favourite since Also called Golma chutney its a popular side dish in the Konkan belt Frankly its not an offputting odour and if you taste the final dish youll never complain about the fishy smell she laughsPicsSameer MarkandeWhile there are two varieties of dry prawns in the market sungata is larger in size and the golma is much smaller in comparison We use dried fish through the year but more so in monsoon in the absence of fresh catch adds Desai Jawala kismur is preferred in the community because its hasslefree Here the dried fish is stirfried on medium flame until golden brown and later mixed with finely chopped onion red chilli Malwani masala tamarind and salt which are cooked in a separate serving bowl At the fag end of the preparation Desai adds a dash of grated coconut to the stirfried dry fish for flavour The result is a medium spiced tangy chutney which can be eaten with either chapati or rice bhakriMangalorean tato shark curryIN Leena DSouzas fridge at her home in Borivli there is always a pack of jawla dried shrimp These little fellas are added to bhaji such as gavar cluster beans and potatoes Back home in Mangaluru dried fish was a real boon during certain seasons when fishing wasnt allowed My mother used a variety of dried fish in her recipes Frankly I use it far lesser than she did especially because the younger generation doesnt seem to prefer it a lot says DSouza 58PicsNimesh DaveDSouza prepares bombil chutney but what her family loves best is tato shark curry with a recipe straight from Mangaluru The super salty chunks of dried shark are pretty expensive in the market as compared to other dried fish They can cost anywhere between R500R800 for a kilo DSouza soaks these chunks overnight to drain excess salt and makes a light red curry using chickpeas mustard and red chillies I finish it off with a tadka of curry leaves and garlic It is a wonderful dish to have in the rainy season and it also has some health benefits Shark as you know is great for your bones says DSouzaCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates