MEEN POLICHETTU 

Karimeen Pollichathu is one of kerala's traditional delicacies. It consists of a luscious tangy gravythat coats to tender but slightly crisped fish. The name of this dish literally means ‘Pearl Spot Fish Fry in Banana Leaves’.  

Preparation time: 40 minutes (Serves 2) 

Ingredients:

•       2 medium pomfret (whole clean)

•       1 cup shallots (finely chopped)

•       ½ cup cashew (toasted/fried)

•       2 ripe tomatoes (chopped)

•       1 tsp black pepper powder

•       2-3 sprigs curry leaves

•       1 tsp red chilli powder

•       1 tsp coriander powder

•       2 tsp ginger garlic paste

•       ½ cup onion (sliced)

•       4 tbsp coconut oil

•       1 tsp mustard seeds

•       2 green chillies

•       1 tsp turmeric

•       2 lime juice

•       2 lemons

Salt as required

 Preparation:

•       Make some gashes on the pomfret

•       Mix the salt, pepper, turmeric, red chillies, ginger-garlic paste and lime juice (marination)

•       Marinate the fish in this marination

•       Heat some coconut oil in a pan, sear on both sides for a couple of minutes

•       In the same pan, crackle mustard seeds

•       Add slit green chillies, curry leaves, onions and sauté

•       Add ginger-garlic paste, leftover marinade and sauté

•       Now add sliced onion, tomatoes, all the spices and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat

•       Rest the masala in a cold place

•       Coat the fish with this marinade, arrange lime and fried cashews in the gashes

•       Seal it with layers of banana leaves

•       Pan-sear on a tawa for 5 minutes on each side

•       Remove and let it rest open for 5 minutes

•       Garnish with lemon wedges and onion rings