A Steamy Introduction
It all started when my mom was not around. I was 13 or 14 years old, and just like many of my friends I too was excited about the recent happenings in my life. It was a different age! My body was changing; I was exposed to so many things new, staying up late and watching night shows was one of them!
And that day it happened, mom was fast asleep in her room, I switched on the TV, thanks to liberalization and the revolution in the broadcast technology we had a cable connection, and there it was – all the ingredients for a spicy night!
On my TV set was Mr. Sanjeev Kapoor and he was cooking Fish, a delicacy I always wanted to taste.
The Non-spicy Past
Being born in a typical Koknastha Brahmin family, even thinking of non- vegetarian food was a sin. The highest degree of non-veg food I ever had at that age was an egg. Not an omelet, an egg! a plain, simple boiled egg with salt and pepper to taste.
My parents were a working couple, my mom worked in Pune where I was born and raised and my dad had a job in Mumbai. He used to come home only on weekends. In early 90’s going out in a restaurant was a real luxury. We as a family often went out but only to pure veg restaurants. As a child my taste palette was limited to Paneer, kofta and pav bhaji with occasional fillings of bread pizzas and pulav. (The typical menu that the restaurants of the 90’s served) Obviously I knew about the non-veg delicacies but never got a chance to taste it. I even asked a restaurateur about how different is Paneer Tikka Masala from Chiken Tikka Masala, he replied “Masala toh same hai chotu, tu paneer ko chicken samaj ke kha le”
In our society building most of our neighbors were Brahmins, but there was one Deshpande uncle, he too was a Brahmin but a Saraswat Brahmin. My mom called him a ‘Maas-Macchi khanewala Brahmin’. Every Sunday morning he used to go to the market and get something packed in a black plastic bag. By afternoon a delicious aroma would take over the entire building. Once I went to his home and asked him what was he cooking? He laughed and said “Maase ahet, Khanar ka?” (It’s Fish, wanna try some?)…….
That day I decided “Yeh machali ko toh khana hi padega” and since then my struggle to discover and understand Fish began.
The First Flavors
On one Saturday morning when mom was out, Dad showed me an unusual package that he got from Mumbai. Nicely placed in the freezer was a black plastic bag. I touched it, it was fleshy.
Yes. He had got fish. It was a whole piece of Pomfret!
Shocked I asked “What if Mom comes to know about this? We have never cooked non veg food in this house!”
On which he calmly replied, “My child, fish is neither veg food nor non-veg food, it’s sea food.”
He opened up the parcel, marinated the Pomfret with turmeric and salt and said, “Today we are having fish”!
Buying his logic of sea food not being non-veg food I was completely relaxed and excited to have my first bite. As the small triangular shapes were being cooked up in the pan I was wondering how come a pure vegetarian man suddenly becomes so rebellious that he dares to cook fish. I asked him about this and he said, “Beta I have fish for my lunch, almost daily”.
Hearing this I realized how Mumbai changes a person.
“I was bored of having the regular tiffin meals”- he said. “One day a friend of mine took me out for lunch and introduced me to this divine delicacy. Since then it’s bye-bye boring tiffin meals and hello Surmai, Bangda and Pomfret! Also I know that you always wanted to try this, so here it is. But Shhh!!! It’s our little secret”
I realized how me and my father were battling with the same stereotypes. What would society, family or the relatives say if they got to know that we were having ‘Maas Macchi’. Taunts like “Brahmin Bhrasht ho gaya” would haunt us. But that day we were all set to break the chains of ‘Log kya kahenge’ we were ready to plunge ourselves in the sea of fish flavors.
A nice pomfret fry with some rice and coconut curry.
I am a Fish Pro
Early learning’s taught me that more the fish bones, tastier the fish. A new fish eater should begin with Pomfret, if he likes the taste and the aroma he can go to the intermediate level of having Surmai, Ravas, Prawns and if he passes with flying colors then he can have the entire Marine world on his plate (Bangda, Bombil, Shell-fish, Crabs, Lobsters and much more)
The transformation of this timid vegetarian boy to a pro fish eater happened when I shifted to Mumbai. ‘Jamana badal gaya tha, aur hum bhi badal gaye the’. My work brought me to Mumbai and since then I have become a Mumbaikar. Today at 30 I can cook almost all the varieties of Fish (that includes going to the market, bargaining with the fish market lady and getting the fresh stock home.) I have had fish from the Arabian sea, the Bay of Bengal and even the Atlantic. My better half too is a complete foodie and an ardent fish lover. Together we enjoy eating food and discussing food.
Even after 16 years my mom doesn’t know that we had cooked fish in our Pune Home. Non veg food there is still a strict no-no. But she often reminds me of that Saturday afternoon, when she came back home and said, “Something’s fishy!”
Recipe – Bangda Fry
Sharing recipe of my favorite Fish – Bangda–Fry (Mackerel)
Ingredients
Salt, Turmeric, Ginger Garlic Paste, Red chilly powder, A whole piece of Bangda (Mackerel), oil for frying and rava (Rava is used for the crispy covering)
How to cook it?
- Marinate the pieces of fish with salt, turmeric, ginger garlic paste, red chili powder and rava.
- In a pan heat up the oil and fry the marinated fish.
- Cook until rava covering is dark brown. Make sure you don’t overcook it.
Bangda Fry is ready. Squeeze some lemon on onion rings to have it as a snack with drinks or serve with rice and some coconut curry as a proper meal.
Read more shortlisted stories for #CookMeATale blogging contest here.
