Kerala Style Karimeen Pollichathu Recipe

Preparation Time: 60 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

For the marinate

• Karimeen 2 in number
• 2 table spoon Chilli powder
• 1/2 table spoon Turmeric powder
• 1/2 table spoon Pepper powder
• Salt as per taste
• Oil to fry
• Banana leaf for wrapping

For the Masala gravy  

• 1 big Tomato finely chopped
• 1 big Onion finely chopped
• 2 table spoon Ginger garlic paste
• 2 Green chillies finely chopped
• 1/2 table spoon Pepper powder
• 1/2 table spoon Coriander powder
• 1 tea spoon Garam masala powder
• 3 table spoon Thick coconut milk (optional)
• 1 strand Curry leaves
• A small bunch of Coriander leaves finely chopped
• Salt as per taste
• Oil to fry

Method:

• Cut and clean the fish.
• Peal the skin of the fish completely or make diagonal slits on them. This helps in marinating the fish.

• Make a paste of chilli powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder and salt.
• Apply this paste to the fish all around, and keep aside for an hour, to get the fish marinated.

 For the Masala

• Put oil in a kadai, add green chillies, ginger garlic paste and curry leaves.

• Fry till the raw smell disappears.
• Now add chopped onion till it turns to light brown.

• Now add tomatoes and rest of the powders given above.
• Finely sprinkle coriander leaves.

• Fry the marinated fish on a hot tawa, in oil till it is half done. Cover the fish with lid and fry both the sides of the fish.

• Now Clean a medium size(the size should be enough to cover the fish completely) banana leaf.
• Place a layer of the above masala on banana leaf.
• Now place the fried fish.

• Apply another layer of the masala above the fish as shown in picture.
• Carefully wrap the leaf and tie it.
• Heat a tawa, put little oil.
• Keep the above wraped fish on it, and fry both the sides.
• Cover it with a lid for a nice aroma.

PS: One can add lemon juice while preparing Masala if you like. or one can add lemon juice at the end, while eating.