Meen Pollichathu Recipe | Kerala Style Fish Fry in Banana Leaf | Fish Cooked in Banana leaf

Meen Pollichathu is a keralite dish cooked on banana leaf. The fish is initially fried until it is halfway done, and then wrapped on a banana leaf with a special onion tomato masala. It is subsequently slow-fried to perfection. The infusion of flavors from the banana leaf and the onion-tomato masala imparts a unique character to the fish. While the cooking time for this dish may be somewhat lengthy, the end result is entirely rewarding. Trust me, this fish recipe is truly amazing. Just try it once and share your feedback with us.

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Meen Pollichathu

 

Recipe Cuisine: Kerala| Recipe Category: Seafood Recipes

Prep Time: 30 mins | Cooking Time: 40 mins | Yields: -

Ingredients:

 

To marinate the fish:

 

Chilli powder - 2

Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Lemon juice - 2 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

 

Other ingredients:

 

Pomfret - 1

Onion - 2, or 100 gms shallots if available

Tomato - 1 cup

Green chilli - 2

Ginger - 1 inch piece, crushed

Garlic - 4, crushed

Peppercorns - 1 tsp

Kashmiri Chilli powder - 1.5 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - a sprig

Banana leaf - 1

Oil - 2 tsp + to shallow fry

 

Method:

 

In a bowl, place all the ingredients listed under "to marinate the fish" and make a paste.

 

Make gashes on both sides of fish. Apply all over the fish and marinate for 30 minutes.

In a wide pan, add little coconut oil and fry the fish for 60 to 70% and keep aside (Need not cook completely as we will fry it again on banana leaf).

Now, in a pan, add 2 teaspoon coconut oil. When oil becomes hot, add 1 cup of chopped onion. Saute for a minute.

Add in chopped green chilli, crushed ginger and garlic. Saute for few seconds.

Then, add chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder, salt and curry leaves

Once raw smell of spices are gone, add 1 cup of chopped tomatoes and saute until mushy. Remove from flame.

Now, before wrapping the fish in banana leaf, wilt the banana leaves on flame. Fresh banana leaves will tear when folding. To avoid this it should be wilted in fire. Run the banana leaf for 2 to 3 seconds to make it soft. If you are using induction stove, show the leaves above boiling water.

 

Now, add a small portion of the onion, tomato masala on the top of the banana leaf and place the fish above it. Again add little more masala and gently fold the banana leaf. Tie it with a thread.

Heat a tawa or wide pan, add 2 tablespoon of coconut oil and place the wrapped fish. Fry the fish on slow flame for 20 minutes (10 minutes for each side).

Meen Pollichathu is ready to serve.

 

Pictorial:

In a bowl, add kashmiri chilli powder, regular chilli powder, black pepper powder, turmeric and ginger garlic paste.

Add salt to taste

Add 2 tsp oil

Add 2 tsp lemon juice

Add little water if required

Make a paste

Now, take a fish and make gashes on both sides

Apply the paste all over the fish.

In a wide pan, add little coconut oil and fry the fish for 60 to 70%.

Once done keep aside (Need not fry the fish completely as we will fry it again on banana leaf).

Now, in a pan, add 2 tsp oil. Once oil becomes hot, add 1 cup of chopped onion. Add small onion for best taste. Saute for a minute.

Add 2 chopped green chilli

Add crushed ginger

also some crushed garlic

Saute for 15 to 20 seconds

Now, add 1.5 tsp chilli powder

Add 1 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp black pepper powder

Add salt to taste and a handful of curry leaves

Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

Once onion becomes translucent, add 1 cup of chopped tomatoes.

Saute until the tomatoes becomes mushy. Adjust the spices according to the sourness of tomato.

Now, before wrapping the fish in banana leaf, wilt the banana leaves on flame. Fresh banana leaves will tear when folding. To avoid this it should be wilted in fire. Run the banana leaf for 2 to 3 seconds to make it soft. If you are using induction stove, show the leaves above boiling water.

For small fish one half of the banana leaf will suffice. For a larger fish, keep the leaf crisscross as shown above.

Now, add a small portion of the onion, tomato masala on the top of the banana leaf

And place the fish above it.

Again add little more masala and  throw in some curry leaves on the top.

Gently fold the banana leaf and tie it with a thread.

Heat a tawa or wide pan, add 2 tablespoon of coconut oil and place the wrapped fish.

Fry the fish on slow flame for 20 minutes (10 minutes for each side).

Meen Pollichathu is ready to serve.