Meen Vazhayillayil Pollichathu

Ingredients

a)Fish Fry

1. Fish - 1big size
2. Lemon Juice- 4tbsp
3. Salt- as required
4. Pepper Powder- 1/2 tsp
5. Turmeric Powder-1/2 tsp
6. Chilly Powder- 1tbsp

b)For Gravy

1. Green chilly- 1tsp
2. Ginger - 2 Tbsp(chopped)
3. Garlic - 3 Tbsp (chopped)
4. Shallots - 8-10 (chopped)
5. Curry Leaves - 2 spring
6. Chilly Powder-2 tbsp
7. Coriander Powder-1/4 tsp
8. Fenugreek Powder-1/2 tsp
9. Garam masala Powder-1/4 tsp
10. Turmeric Powder -1/4 tsp
11. Coconut Milk (thick)-1/2 cup
12. Tomato -1
13. Coconut Oil -As required
14. Large Banana Leaf - as required
15. Salt- as required

How to Prepare?

Here we have three parts, first shallow fry the fish, preparing gravy and second cook the rest part of the fish in banana leaf. Clean the Fish and marinate it with lemon juice and salt for 5 minutes. Heat oil in a frying pan and marinate fish with pepper powder, turmeric powder, salt, chilly powder and fenugreek powder. Keep it 5- 10 minutes. Shallow fry the fish in oil.

Pour oil in a wide pan or chatti and add curry leaves, garlic, ginger, green chilly and sauté it for 10 minutes then add shallots until it turns golden brown. Once shallots turn golden brown add thick paste of chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder sauté it until it's raw smell goes. Next add tomato and let it cook till it get translucent. In a low flame add Coconut milk and cook it till the gravy thickens. Finally add garam masala and roasted fenugreek powder and mix well with the gravy and switch off the flame.

Next take washed banana leaf and make it soft by placing in low flame or dipping in hot water for 20-30 seconds. Place the banana leaf in an even surface and make sure that both side of fish is marinated with thick gravy. Wrap, fold and tie the leaves to ensure that there is no gaps or leaks. Place the package in a low heat pan and cook each side for 15 -30 minutes. Sprinkle water occasionally in pan so that leaf won't get burned. Let it cool and it's ready to serve with Rice, chappathi, Appam.