Fish and Seafood

Although the majority of the Indian population is vegetarian, fish and seafood are very popular with the rest of the nation. Even among the vegetarians, there are some who eat fish and seafood, as these are considered to be gifts of the sea and therefore exempt from the rule of not taking another life for one’s own pleasure.

Almost two-thirds of India is surrounded by sea and the fish are firm-textured and ideal for curries. In western India, Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is on the banks of the Arabian Sea and the most famous export here is Bombay Duck, a fish similar to mackerel that is sun-dried before it’s cooked. Some countries have banned the import of Bombay Duck, so smoked mackerel or kippers are used as the closest substitute.