Bombay Duck: The Misnamed Marvel of the Arabian Sea

If you’ve ever visited a fish market or strolled along the coastline in winter, you’ve probably seen racks of thin, silver-bodied fish hanging in the sun, drying in the salty breeze. That’s the famous Bombay duck—or as it’s called in some countries as, Bumla or Bombil. And no, it’s not a duck. It’s a fish.

The title alone draws an eyebrow. How did a duck emerge from the ocean?” people ask, half-in-aggression. The truth is, nobody knows where it came from. Some say that it was named so by the British Raj, which christened it “Bombay duck” because Bombay-dried Bombil was shipped out on the Bombay Dak (postal) trains to England, and the smell was, well, memorable. Others say it comes from “bombil,” the Marathi name for the fish.

A Fish That Melts in Your Mouth

Fresh Bombay duck is like nothing you will find in the market. Its flesh is soft—almost mushy—which is difficult to work with but heavenly when cooked right. This is not the kind of fish that you throw onto the grill without a plan. It’s delicate, with a lot of water, and it cooks fast. When fried to a golden crust, it develops a crunchy, golden brown exterior that gives way to a buttery, almost creamy interior.

For many a seafood fanatic in Karachi, the Bumla season is much-awaited. The best months are between November and February, when the waters cool down and the fish fill out. In the early hours of the morning at the harbor, Bombay duck is being scuttled from all corners in baskets, fresh from the Arabian Sea.

Fresh or Dried — Two Personalities, One Fish

The interesting thing about Bombay duck is that it has not one, but two completely different culinary personas. Fresh Bombil is a luxury item—fried whole, used in curries, or filled with spice even. But dried Bombay duck is a whole different story.

The process of drying really works in this case: the fish dries out most of its water content, leaving behind a condensed flavor base and the characteristic odor. Dried Bombay duck is salty and explosive, often finding itself in chutneys, pickles, and curries that turn an ordinary complement of rice into something special.

Along down coasts, Sindh, and Balochistan, what extends are miles of Bombay duck drying under open sun-drenched skies—miles and years unchanged. Very simple: the fish is washed, salted, and sun-dried until leathery and flavorful.

Not For the Faint of Heart

Let’s get real—Bombay duck has a pungent reputation. Fresh, it’s sweet and mild. Dried? Smelly, to put it mildly. Some can’t handle it. Others say that’s where its magic is—the depthful, umami flavor that smacks you after adjusting to the odor.

A Taste of Tradition

To most Karachi homes, Bombay duck is not just a meal—it’s a memory. Grandmothers frying fresh Bumla in spiced gram flour, uncles preparing sour curries from dried Bombil, and cousins grabbing crispy fried pieces directly from the pan—these are things turned into taste.

Why You Should Try It

Have you not tried the Bombay duck yet? Then start with the fresh one: marinated, shallow-fried, with a little squeeze of lemon sea flavor you will never forget. If you’re a daring soul, try having it dried and in a curry.

That’s quite an unwieldy prose! So much bombast! Perhaps, even if you do scrunch up your face on the first bite, by the time you go for the second, you will understand why people living closer to the coast have eaten it for centuries. So the next time you find yourself gazing at the display in a fish market or flicking through an online seafood store, see if you can catch hold of some Bombay duck. It may not quack, but it just might make your palate sing.