Meen polichathu (Fish in banana leaf wrap)

I had this for the first time in my first Alleppey visit in year 2007.  We had our trip to House boat and Veegaland in that vacation.   In the House Boat they served us with traditional Alleppey fish curry meals and “karimeen Pollichathu”.  In the evening we all did fishing and enjoyed a lot with “ Nadan Kallu and Karimeen pollichathu”.

I still cant forget the taste of that fish fry in banana leaf wrap. 

I thought of sharing my experience with you.  Here I could not get karimeen so I tried the same recipe with Pomfret (Aavoli/Maanji).   

 

 

 

 

Step 1

Marination for fish :-  

 Clean a full Pomfret fish and cut into thin slices. 

Ginger paste          ½ tsp

Garlic paste           ½ tsp

Chilly powder        4 tsp

Pepper powder      1 tsp

Lemon juice           1 tbsp

Salt   to taste.

Oil  for shallow frying.

Step 2

Ingredients for Masala

Finely chopped small onions               1 cup

Finely chopped  ginger                         2 tbsp

Finely chopped garlic                           1 tbsp

Finely chopped green chilly                 5 to 6

Red chilly powder                                 ¼ tsp

Turmeric powder                                   ¼ tsp

Curry leaves few

Thick coconut milk                                ¼ cup

Salt  to taste.

Oil  for cooking.

Step 3 

Banana leaves to wrap fish.

Step 1 Method:

In a bowl add chilly powder, pepper powder, ginger garlic  paste, lemon juice,  salt, 2 tsp of oil and little water mix well prepare thick paste.  Marinate this paste to fish keep it for at least 2 hours.

Then heat oil in pan and  shallow fry both sides of the fish till half done.   Remove fried fish and keep aside.

Step 2  Method

Heat  oil (in which you had already fried the fish)   add chopped onion, ginger, garlic , green chilly fry till light brown,  then add curry leaves, chilly powder, turmeric powder fry for 2 to 3 min. At this stage add thick coconut milk and little water.   Do not  boil the gravy.

Switch off the gas.

Meanwhile  heat  banana leaves  slightly  so that it can be folded easily

 

Spread little gravy on the leaves keep fried fish then again pour  little gravy on it so that  gravy evenly gets coated  fish slices .  Wrap banana leaves and tie knot.  Prepare all fish slices like this and keep aside.

Heat dosa tawa and  grease little oil and keep all fish wraps on it and   cover and cook both sides for 5 to 10 minutes.

 

 

 

These fish wraps can also be grilled.