Are you looking for a unique and flavorful fish recipe? Let’s make Olya Bombil Cha Kheema! This is a traditional Maharashtrian dish made from fresh, minced Bombay Duck (Bombil). It’s a spicy, tangy, and absolutely delicious ‘keema’ or mince, cooked with onions, tomatoes, and aromatic spices. If you’ve never tried a fresh Bombay Duck recipe before, this is the perfect one to start with. It’s surprisingly easy to make and tastes incredible, especially when served hot with traditional Indian breads like bhakri. This Bombil Keema is a fragrant and rustic dish that brings the authentic flavours of the coast right to your kitchen.
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Ingredients List:
- 250-300g Fresh Bombil (Bombay Duck)
- 3 medium Onions, finely chopped
- 2 medium Tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1.5 tbsp Ginger-Garlic-Green Chili Paste
- 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder (you can also use Agri masala)
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp Cumin-Coriander Powder (Jeera-Dhania)
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2-3 tbsp Oil
- Salt to taste
- A generous handful of fresh Coriander (Kothimbir), chopped
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Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Prepare the Bombil: The most important step is to clean the fresh Bombil. Remove the central bone, which you can do with a knife. You can also ask your fishmonger to clean and debone it for you.
- Mince the Fish: Finely chop the cleaned fish into a ‘keema’ or mince. Using a manual chopper is a quick way to do this without turning it into a paste.
- Sauté Onions: Heat oil in a pan (kadhai). Add the finely chopped onions. Sauté them on medium heat until they are soft and nicely browned.
- Add Aromatics: Add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste. Cook for about a minute until the raw smell is gone.
- Cook Tomatoes: Add the finely chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes become soft and mushy.
- Add Spices: Now, add the salt, Garam Masala, and cumin-coriander powder. Stir everything well.
- Add Red Chilli Powder: Add the red chilli powder. You can use your regular powder or a special blend like Agri masala for a more authentic flavour. Sauté this masala paste on low heat for a minute.
- Cook the Keema: Add the minced Bombil (keema) to the pan with the masala.
- Mix and Cover: Mix everything thoroughly so the fish is coated in the masala. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook on low heat for about 5 minutes. The Bombil will release its own water, so you don’t need to add any.
- Garnish and Serve: After 5 minutes, remove the lid. The dish should be perfectly cooked. This entire Bombil Keema recipe is very fast! Finally, add a generous amount of fresh chopped coriander, mix it in, and your Olya Bombil Cha Kheema is ready to serve.
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Cooking Tips for Better Results:
- Cleaning is Key: For any fresh Bombay Duck recipe, cleaning is crucial. The central bone must be removed. If you’re not comfortable doing it, always ask your fishmonger.
- Don’t Overcook: Bombil is a delicate fish and cooks very quickly. Overcooking will make it rubbery. 5-7 minutes of cooking time after adding it to the pan is more than enough.
- Finely Chopped Base: For the best ‘keema’ texture, make sure your onions and tomatoes are very finely chopped. This helps them melt into a beautiful, thick masala.
- Fresh Aromatics: Using freshly crushed ginger, garlic, and chilli will give a much brighter and more intense flavour than store-bought pastes.
Variations:
- Spicy Version: Add an extra green chilli when making your paste, or add a pinch of black pepper along with the other dry spices.
- Kids-Friendly Version: Skip the green chilli entirely and use a mild (like Kashmiri) chilli powder. This will give the dish a nice colour without being too spicy for children.
- With Coconut: For a different coastal flavour, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of freshly grated coconut along with the spice powders.
- (Note: A vegan version is not possible as the core ingredient is fish. This dish is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.)
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Serving Suggestions:
- This Olya Bombil Cha Kheema is a rustic and hearty dish that pairs perfectly with traditional Indian flatbreads.
- Serve it hot with Jowar Bhakri (sorghum flatbread), Bajra Bhakri (pearl millet flatbread), or Tandlachi Bhakri (rice flatbread).
- It also tastes wonderful with simple chapatis or rotis.
- You can also serve it as a side dish with a simple meal of dal and steamed rice.
FAQs:
Q1: What is ‘Olya Bombil’?
Ans: ‘Olya Bombil’ is the Marathi term for ‘Fresh Bombay Duck.’ This is different from ‘Suka Bombil,’ which is the dried, salted version of the same fish. This recipe must be made with the fresh kind.
Q2: Does fresh Bombil smell a lot?
Ans: Fresh Bombil does have a distinct smell, but when it’s cleaned properly and cooked with this many spices, the final Bombil Keema is wonderfully aromatic and delicious, not unpleasantly “fishy.”
Q3: Can I use dried Bombil for this recipe?
Ans: No, this recipe is specifically for Olya Bombil (fresh). Dried Bombil has a completely different texture and requires a different cooking method (which usually involves soaking).
Q4: My keema looks watery. What did I do wrong?
Ans: You did nothing wrong! Fresh Bombil releases a lot of water as it cooks. Simply leave the lid off and cook on medium-high heat for an extra 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the water evaporates and the keema becomes thick.
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Easy Bombil Keema Recipe (Fresh Bombay Duck Mince)
Ingredients
- 250-300 g Fresh Bombil Bombay Duck
- 3 medium Onions finely chopped
- 2 medium Tomatoes finely chopped
- 1.5 tbsp Ginger-Garlic-Green Chili Paste
- 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder you can also use Agri masala
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp Cumin-Coriander Powder Jeera-Dhania Powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2-3 tbsp Oil
- Salt to taste
- A generous handful of fresh Coriander Kothimbir, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the Bombil: The most important step is to clean the fresh Bombil. Remove the central bone, which you can do with a knife. You can also ask your fishmonger to clean and debone it for you.
- Mince the Fish: Finely chop the cleaned fish into a 'keema' or mince. Using a manual chopper is a quick way to do this without turning it into a paste.
- Sauté Onions: Heat oil in a pan (kadhai). Add the finely chopped onions. Sauté them on medium heat until they are soft and nicely browned.
- Add Aromatics: Add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste. Cook for about a minute until the raw smell is gone.
- Cook Tomatoes: Add the finely chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes become soft and mushy.
- Add Spices: Now, add the salt, Garam Masala, and cumin-coriander powder. Stir everything well.
- Add Red Chilli Powder: Add the red chilli powder. You can use your regular powder or a special blend like Agri masala for a more authentic flavour. Sauté this masala paste on low heat for a minute.
- Cook the Keema: Add the minced Bombil (keema) to the pan with the masala.
- Mix and Cover: Mix everything thoroughly so the fish is coated in the masala. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook on low heat for about 5 minutes. The Bombil will release its own water, so you don't need to add any.
- Garnish and Serve: After 5 minutes, remove the lid. The dish should be perfectly cooked. This entire Bombil Keema recipe is very fast! Finally, add a generous amount of fresh chopped coriander, mix it in, and your Olya Bombil Cha Kheema is ready to serve.
