Karimeen Polichathu

Ingredients:
Pearl Spot (karimeen) 4 medium
Banana leaves 4
Coconut, scraped 1/2 cup
Kodumpuli 4 pieces
Whole dry red chillies 8
Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander seeds 2 tablespoons
Ginger 1 inch piece
Garlic 8 cloves
Green chillies 4
Lemon juice 2 tablespoons
Curry leaves 10-12
Salt to taste
Oil to shallow fry


directions:
Scale, clean and wash the fish thoroughly. Make deep slits on either side.
Wash, wipe and cut the plantain leaf into four and remove the center core. Singe over open flame to make it malleable.
Grind coconut, kodumpuli, red chilies, turmeric powder, coriander seeds, ginger, garlic and green chillies to a smooth paste. Add lemon juice and the curry leaves and mix well.
Apply this paste liberally on the fish and also stuff it into the slits.
Brush a little oil on each leaf and wrap each fish tightly in the leaf and tie with thread. Rest it for an hour in the fridge.
Heat a little oil in a pan and shallow fry the parcels on medium heat for about three to four minutes on each side or till the fish is completely cooked. Ensure that the leaves don’t burn during cooking.
Serve hot in the parcel itself.

Recipe Tip
Kodumpuli, also called Fish tamarind is used extensively in the Malabar region. Can be substituted with regular tamarind or dry mango powder also.