Ben Oostdam Story # 168

ASIAN DUCKS
Both China and India are, from an economic point of view, no lame ducks: in the last three decades their exports relative to their GDP have increased by about 309 and 511 percent, respectively!


Both are also known for ducks, each named after one of their
major cities: the Peking Duck and the Bombay Duck.
The Peking Duck is a real duck and a culinary delicacy of the first order.
Its skin is carefully sewn together and then separated from the rest of the body by inflating it with a pump like a soccer ball. When fried it is scrumptiously, succulently crispy.and is served with thin pancakes.


By Contrast, the Bombay Duck is a rather ugly small fish, worse so,- for the faints of heart - a Lizard fish, Harpadon nehereus.
which is caught in the Indian Ocean in large quantities (over 100,000 tons in 2004)
and next dried, which lends them a pungent smell.
one two
But again, once fried (for a little less than a minute) it becomes a delightful delicacy,
which goes very well with Indian curry.

For a while, the import of Bombay Duck into the European Union was prohibited, but protests led to a modification of this blameful ban. Following are some excerpts on the prices this lowly commodity commands nowadays:
Post & Packing costs are for UK only. All prices in pounds sterling GBP.
1 x 100g PACK BOMBAY DUCK: 3.49 + post & packing. TOTAL: 4.99
1 x 200g PACK BOMBAY DUCK: 5.99 + post & packing. TOTAL: 7.99
Medium size packs can be purchased direct from a supplier in India:
Filleted Bombay Duck fish @ £17.00 per kilo (including air couriers' charges).
:

"Bombay Duck" in
"Alice in Wonderland, ch.9"		 "Bombay Duck" in history, literature, sports, economy and politics:
  • before the EU ban,
    GB imported over 50 tons p.a.
  • p.c. modern names would be:
    Beijing Duck and Mumbai Duck ;o]
    		•
    Ajit Agarkar, 2003
    aka "Bombay Duck"
    BLO fecit 20060620 - stories