Kerala Meen Pollichathu / Fried Fish in Banana Leaf Wrap is traditionally known as Karimeen Pollichathu as this recipe is traditionally made with Karimeen (Pearl spot fish). Here I’m gonna make it with Pomfret fish (though you can make it with any kind of fish). Kerala Meen Pollichathu / Fried Fish in Banana Leaf Wrap is wrapped in a banana leaf and cooked with spicy masala sauce.
Whether using Pearl Spot, Pomfret, Red Snapper, or Mackerel (whichever is freshest and available at the fishmonger), you can ask the fishmonger to do all the squeamish work like gutting, cleaning, and fin removal. Once this part is complete, the rest comes together in no time at all to make the yummy Kerala Meen Pollichathu / Fried Fish in Banana Leaf Wrap.
To make this Kerala Meen Pollichathu / Fried Fish in Banana Leaf Wrap, place the fish in a wilted Banana leaf, bedded on masala, and then wrap the entire thing in a banana leaf and tie it with banana leaf string, butcher twine, or insert a toothpick to hold it together. The distinct smells of the fish and masala will have your mouth watering 🙂
You can also check my other Seafood recipes here:
- Kottayam Style Red Fish Curry / Meen (fish) Vevichathu
- Kerala Fish Fry / Meen Varuthathu / Meen Porichathu
- Kanava (Koonthal) Varutharacha Curry / Squid in Roasted coconut gravy
If you try this recipe out, please hashtag your photos with #MozisMenu on Instagram and tag me with @MozisMenu. I love seeing your takes on my recipes!
I have a bite-sized video to show you how to make this recipe.
Ingredients
To Marinate & fry:-
- Fish (traditionally Pearl Spot fish is used, but here I’ve used Pomfret) – 1, cleaned & slit (check the Notes section below)
- Ginger-garlic paste – 1½ tsp
- Coriander powder – 1½ tsp
- Red chili powder – 1½ tsp
- Pepper powder – 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder – ¾ tsp
- Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
- Salt – to taste
- Coconut oil – to fry
For Masala Sauce:-
- Onion – 1, chopped
- Tomato – 1, chopped
- Ginger – 1 tbsp, chopped
- Garlic – 1 tbsp, chopped
- Green chili – 2, slits
- Curry leaves – 1 sprig
- Red chili powder – 1 tsp
- Coriander powder – 1½ tsp
- Pepper powder – 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
- Tamarind water – 1½ tbsp
- Coconut – 2 tbsp, shredded
- Coriander leaves (Cilantro) – 2 tbsp, roughly chopped
- Salt – to taste
- Coconut oil – 1 tbsp
To Wrap & Serve:-
- Banana leaf – 1, broad enough to wrap (check the notes)
- Banana string (or) Twine – to tie
- Coconut oil – to grease + 2 tsp
- Onion – 1 tbsp, chopped
- Curry leaves – 1 sprig
- Lemon – To sprinkle
Instructions
- In a bowl, add Coriander powder, Red Chili powder, Pepper powder, Turmeric powder, and salt.
- Mix the dry ingredients together.
- Add Ginger-garlic paste and lemon juice.
- Mix it again to make the masala paste and keep it aside.
- Take the fish (here I’ve used Pomfret), scale the fish, clean gut, trim the fins, and tail if desired. Clean it thoroughly by rubbing some salt on the fish and keep it aside for 5 minutes. Then wash off the salt. This step should take out any foul smell that the fish may have. Then make three shallow slits (don’t go too deep) on both sides of the fish.
- Put the masala paste on top of the fish.
- Spread the masala by rubbing it all over the fish.
- Let it marinate for 10 minutes.
- Heat oil in a wide pan and fry the fish over medium flame.
- Once it is cooked on one side, turn it over to fry it on the other side. Once it is fully fried, keep it aside.
- Heat oil in another pan, add ginger and garlic, and stir it for a minute.
- Add onion and saute till it becomes translucent.
- Then add tomato, green chili, and curry leaves.
- Allow it to cook till it turns mushy by stirring occasionally.
- Add Red Chili powder, Coriander powder, Pepper powder, Turmeric powder and salt and mix it well.
- Add Tamarind water, and mix it well. Allow it to cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add Cilantro (Coriander leaves), Coconut, and mix it well.
- Again, allow it to cook for a couple of minutes.
- To this masala sauce, add the fried fish.
- Spread half of the masala sauce on the top side of the fish to cover it completely (keep another half of the masala to spread it on the banana leaf later to cover the other side of the fish).
- Take a banana leaf.
- Wilt it by running it over a medium fire to make the leaf soft (this step makes it easy to fold the leaf without tearing).
- Grease the leaf with Coconut oil.
- Sprinkle Onion & Curry leaves on top of the leaf.
- Spread the other half of the masala sauce on the leaf
- Place down the fish on top of the masala sauce (make sure that the uncoated side of the fish should face the leaf and the coated side should face the top. That way both sides will get coated).
- Wrap the fish with the banana leaf.
- Tie it well using a banana string or twine.
- Heat some oil in a pan, and place the wrapped fish in the pan.
- Close it with a lid and cook it over low flame for 5 minutes on one side. Then turn it over and cook it again for 5 minutes to get the banana flavor infused into the fish. Then transfer it to a plate and unwrap the fish. Serve it right away with lime wedges and steamed rice.
You now have an incredibly flavorful Kerala Meen Pollichathu / Fried Fish in Banana Leaf Wrap meal on the table.
Notes
- If you don’t get a banana leaf, use aluminum foil to wrap the fish.
- You can also use sliced fish pieces (fish steaks) instead of full fish of any kind.
- Remove the middle vein of the banana leaves to separate the leaf into two.
- Fry time may differ slightly depending on the size of the fish.
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