Ingredients:

To marinate:

Karimeen – 1kg

Pepper powder – 1teaspoon

Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Salt – to taste

To Grind:

Coriander powder – 2 teaspoon

Chilly powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Pepper powder – 1/2 teaspoon

To season:

Coconut oil – 3 tablespoon

Shallots (small onions) –1 cup (sliced)

Garlic – 10 pods (crushed)

Green chilly – 3 (slit lengthwise)

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

Thick Coconut milk – 1 cup

How to:

Clean the fish, make slashes on both sides (3-4 slits about 1/2 inch deep). Apply pepper powder, turmeric and salt and marinate for about 1 hour.

Grind coriander powder, chilly powder, turmeric, and pepper with a little water to form a smooth paste.

In a heavy bottomed pan add 3 tablespoons of coconut oil and sauté the shallots, green chillies, garlic and curry leaves till shallots are golden brown. Season with a little salt. Remove from the pan and keep aside.

Fry the fish lightly in the same oil. When both sides are golden brown, remove from the pan and keep aside.

Splutter mustard in the same oil, add the ground masala paste and sauté till oil separates from the masala. When it’s done, add the fry fish to the pan and coat with masala. Next pour in the coconut milk, and the sautéed shallots and garlic mixture.

Simmer for a while, till the coconut milk thickens. Remove from flame and let it rest for a while.

Place each fish on a plantain leaf greased with oil, wrap and roast on a heavy bottomed pan, letting it cook for about 5 minutes on each side.

Remove from flame and serve hot with rice and onion salad.

Tip:

Instead of a plantain leaf you can also use aluminum foil. If so, bake in the oven at about 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

If you want the masala to be a little tangy, you can also add a little tamarind paste to the masala.