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SOOKA BOOMLA No PATIO
 (Dry Bombay Duck Patio or Tarapori Patio)

Parsi Tarapori Patio

This is a sweet and sour seafood delight. The word "Tarapore" originates in an village called Tarapore in Gujarat, India. The parsi comunity loves seafood and this patio shows their desire to eat fish in all seasons. The native fish called Boomla (or Bombay Ducks) is abundant in the rainy season in Tarapore, Mumbai and other places. The parsi folk dry and salt the boomlas to preserve them. This way this fish can be enjoyed all year long.

Recipe
        
         12 dry Bombay Ducks
         1/2 pod garlic
         9 to 12 dry red hot peppers
         2 tsp. cumin seeds
         4 onions, finely sliced about 2 cups.
         1/2 cup vinegar
         2 1/2 tbs. grated Jaggery (Gaur or brown sugar)
         2 tbs. salt
         2 tbs. vegetable oil
        
Soak jaggery in 1/4 cup vinegar. Remove head and tail from each Bombay Duck.

Cut each Bombay Duck into 4 pieces.

Grind to a paste garlic, red peppers and cumin seeds with 1 tbs. vinegar.

In a pan heat oil and sauté onion till brown.

Add spice paste and cook 5  minutes.

Add pieces of Bombay Duck and mix well.

Add salt and 1 cup vinegar and cook 3 minutes.

Add vinegar an jaggery mixture and 1/4 cup water, cover and cook on slow heat for 10 minutes or till  Bombay Duck or the seafood (fish) are soft and cooked.

Serve with plain Khichri or  Vegetable Khichri.
        
Serves 4.
        
Dry Bombay Duck can be bought at Gourmet Indian or Import food Stores.
        
Bombay Duck is a distinctive Arabian Sea Coastal fish. It is desiccated (dried) by first soaking in brine and then sun drying.

To remove excess salt soak it in water for about 1/2 hr. before cooking.

If Bombay Duck is not readily available make paatio with smoked Chub or any other smoked fish.

If you are desperate this dish can be made with shrimps, or mackerel.

Where to find these delicacies in NY City? See answer below:

 http://www.parsicuisine.com/Bombay ducks in NY.htm