Karimeen Ilayil Pollichathu (Pearl Spot Steam Cooked in Banana Leaf)

Ingredients for Karimeen Ilayil Pollichathu (Pearl Spot Steam Cooked in Banana Leaf):

1. Pearlspot (Karimeen) medium sized – 3 (600 gm)

2. Kashmiri chilli powder – 1 small spoon

   Turmeric powder – ¼ small spoon

    Pepper powder – A pinch

    Salt – For taste

3. Coconut oil – 8 big spoons

4. Shallots chopped – 2 cups

   Ginger chopped – 1 small spoon

   Garlic chopped – 1 small spoon

   Curry leaves – A few

5. Kashmiri chilli powder – 2 small spoons

    Meat masala powder – 1/2 small spoon

    Turmeric powder – 1/4 small spoon

6. Tomato – 1 small, chopped fine

7. Coconut milk – 1/3 cup

8. Coconut vinegar – 1 small spoon

    Salt – For taste

How to prepare Karimeen Ilayil Pollichathu (Pearl Spot Steam Cooked in Banana Leaf)?

1. Clean pearl spot and marinate it with ingredients no: 2.

2. Allow it to rest for 1 hour.

3. In a pan, pour 6 big spoons of coconut oil and fry the fish.

4. In the remaining oil, sauté ingredients no: 4.

5. Add fish to it, along with coconut milk.

6. When fish is well-cooked and gravy thickens, add vinegar and salt, and put off the flame.

7. Place a little gravy on banana leaf, followed by a fish and one more layer of gravy.

8. Wrap it well, and continue the process for remaining fish.

9. Heat 2 spoons of oil in a tawa and place wrapped fish on it.

10. Flip both sides and fry.

11. When colour of leaf changes, take the steamed fish from tawa.

Courtesy: Vanitha Magazine April 16-29, 2022

Also read yet another Karimeen Pollichathu recipe. 

Also read a few more fish recipes. Click on the images in the gallery to read.