Baked Fish In Banana Leaf

Baked Fish Masala in Banana Leaf is an Indian style fish dish, very flavourful and keeps the fish moist and soft. I made this as one of the dished for Father's Day dinner and it was enjoyed by all. I saved this recipe from online some time ago and only now managed to try it out.

Ingredients:

1 large pomfret, cut into big slices - I used 6 slices, baked in 2 batches
2 banana leaf and aluminium foil to wrap

- Rub fish slices with some turmeric, salt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and set aside.

Masala:

2 big onions, sliced thinly
2 big tomatoes, sliced thinly
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1/3 cup grated coconut
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
3 tsp garam masala
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
olive oil for cooking
salt to taste
mustard seeds and curry leaves

Heat olive oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Next add onion and grated coconut. Saute till onion become soft. Then add ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are soft.
Add chilli powder, garam masala, black pepper, cook well. Then add mint and coriander leaves and salt to taste. Cook covered with some water sprinkled (if needed) till no raw smell. Turn off fire. Let it cool.
Once cool blend the masala to a paste.


- Heat oven to 200C.
- Take a banana leaf and heat it a bit over direct flame so it doesn;'t tear.

Now place masala in a layer on the leaf, arrange 3 fish slices on top of masala and cover the fish with more masala. Fold leaf to form a parcel and now cover the parcel with a layer of aluminium foil.

Bake for about 30 mins at 200C.

Meanwhile make another parcel using the balance masala and fish slices.

This dish best to be served hot with white rice.