[Spice Odyssey]

This is a delicacy in central travancore ( Kottayam) area..

Pearl spot(Karimeen) - 2 nos
Small onion(Kunjulli)
(chopped) - 1 cup
Tomato(small) - 2 nos
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 2 nos
Curry leaves - A few
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - As reqd
Coconut milk (optional)
Oil - 1 tbsp

For marinade:-
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - As reqd
Oil - 1 tsp



1)Clean fish and make cuts on it.

2)Mix pepper powder and salt, apply to the fish and keep for half an hour.

3)Pour 1 tsp of oil in a fry pan and shallow fry the fish turning both sides. Keep aside.

4)Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a kadai.

5)Saute chopped small onions.

6)When brown, add green chillies, curry leaves and ginger-garlic paste and saute again till its cooked.

7)Add coriander, chilly powder, turmeric powder and saute well.

8)Add chopped tomatoes and mix well till its cooked.

9)Add salt and mix well.

10)Add 1 tbsp of water and mix well.

You can use cocount milk instead of water for a better taste.

11)Divide it into 4 portions.

12)Take a banana leaf and gently heat it to make soft.

13)Keep one portion of the saute mixture on the leaf, keep the fried fish on top of it and spread one portion of the saute on the top of the fish.

14)Cover the fish with the leaf and tie with a thread.

15)Do the same with the second fish.

16)Keep the fish in a kadai and close it with a lid.

17)Cook it on a slow fire for 10 mins and gently turn it over and cook the other side.

Serve hot with chappathis or rice.

[jyotirmoy]

Thanks a lot Spice. Just a question here. Although we get Karimeen occasionally in Delhi can it be substituted by any other type of fish?

[Spice Odyssey]

any fresh water fish should do...
I have not tried it yet!!

jyotirmoy, on Oct 4 2007, 09:33 AM, said:

Thanks a lot Spice. Just a question here. Although we get Karimeen occasionally in Delhi can it be substituted by any other type of fish?