Bombay duck is said to have associated the pungent smell with that of the newspapers and mail which would come into the cantonments from Bombay. The term was later popularized among the British public by its appearance in Indian restaurants in the UK. In his 1829 book of poems and "Indian reminiscences", Sir Toby Rendrag (pseudonym) notes the "use of a fish nick-named 'Bombay Duck'" and the phrase is used in texts as early as 1815. The Bombay duck lives in the tropical areas of the Indo-Pacific. The fish is also known as "strange fish" because of its discontinuous distribution along the
Mock duck duck made from tofu skin is also popular. Mock duck Mock duck is a gluten-based vegetarian food. It is made of wheat gluten, oil, sugar, soy sauce, and salt. It is thus high in protein. Its distinctive flavor and artificial "plucked duck" texture distinguish it from other forms of commercially available gluten products. Mock duck can be found in some Chinese grocery stores or retail outlets providing international selections of food. Similar products may be labeled as "Mock Abalone" or "Cha'i Pow Yu" (齋鮑魚; pinyin: zhāibàoyú). Typically, mock duck gains its flavor from the stewing of the gluten product in