Cooking fish in banana leaves is an old tradition. It makes fish look good and taste even better! Fresh banana leaves are found in Southeast Asia but most Asian food stores now carry frozen sheets for easy use. Wash and wipe them before using. It is definitely worth the extra effort.
Traditionally, thick fillets of white fish were wrapped up, tied with string, and deep fried in oil. Just before serving the strings were cut and hot fresh pieces of fish were unfolded. Here I share with you a simpler yet effective way of achieving similar results. This recipe uses fillets of fish, although in India fish is still served bone-in.
Ingredients
For the chutney:
- •60 grams (1 cup) desiccated coconut
- •6 green chilies
- •½ teaspoon salt
- •100 grams (1½ cups, tightly packed) cilantro/coriander leaves
- •2 green peeled mangoes, diced
- •2 tablespoons jaggery
- •10 fresh mint leaves
- •118 ml (¼ cup) fresh lemon juice
For the fish:
- •10 to 12 pieces of silver pomfret (or substitute halibut fillets, haddock loins, or tilapia fillets)
- •Salt
- •4 pieces of fresh banana leaf, each 25 by 36 cm (10 by 14 inches), for using on a baking sheet,* rinsed and dried
- •Vegetable oil, as needed
* If choosing to wrap the fish in individual packets, each fillet will require a piece of banana leaf about 23 cm (9 inches) square. Twelve fillets will require 12 squares of banana leaf.
Preparation
For the chutney:
In a food processor or blender, process the coconut until finely ground. Add, in order, the chilies, salt, cilantro, diced mangoes, jaggery, mint, and lemon juice. Taste for balance in the salt, the heat from the chilies, the sourness and the sweetness, and adjust as needed.
For the fish:
Preheat oven to 170° C (350° F). Wash and dry the fillets and salt each one lightly. On a baking sheet lay out banana leaves. Brush oil lightly on the leaves and place the pieces of fish on them. Top each piece of fish with green chutney. Gently press it down with the palm of your hands or the back of a spoon. Now cover the fish with more banana leaves.
Bake until the fish is cooked through, about 22 minutes. Discard the top leaves and serve the fish on a platter with banana leaves.