There is only one person whom I miss the most in my life, my grandma whom I call Amma. If the time machine were a reality, then I would rewind and go back to tell her how much she meant to me and how much I loved her! I knew she was a part of me but never realised the depth of the bonding we shared until she left us 4 years ago! I never had a closure, I could not bid farewell to her, I was not there at the time of her death nor at the funeral....and towards the end she had lost her memory too, so I don’t even know if she was aware of my occasional visits to her, whenever I came home during my holidays.....she comes in my dreams and thoughts quite often and at times I miss her a lot..I think about the days I spent with her...my summer holidays... my weekends during my childhood....her image is still crystal clear in my mind; standing in front of the gate anxiously waiting for me to get back from the school ..she used to send her maid to pick me up from the school and accompany me till I reached home safe..and I am sure she enjoyed those days, when both of us waited for the mobile bakery man to buy hot puffs and samosas and some sweets, because her kids, that’s my mother and her siblings never allowed her to eat any sweets coz of her high blood sugar. I learned the basics of bargaining from her; it was a pleasure and a great time pass to watch her bargain with the fish vendors...and at the end of all that intense bargaining, sometimes she offered them a cup of tea or some breakfast occasionally...my exposure to different varieties of fish started there. The root cause of my obsession with cleanliness and organizing traces back to her; she had a spotless kitchen and home and a perfectly pressed and arranged wardrobe. Even at the age of 70s, she wore neatly pressed clothes at home and such thoughts help me neglect my obsession for pressing each and every piece of cloth, including my apron and kitchen towels !! I have great respect for her..she was a strong woman who raised her three kids all alone after losing her partner at a very young age. She was very generous and affectionate too...I wish she had met CJJ before she left us, in which case, he would have been her favourite. My mother is a great cook, nevertheless, at times I tell her some of her preparations don’t even come close to that of Amma’s. She was a fabulous cook...she did not have an oven, but she used to bake cakes with a stove top vessel; she never used to frequent Chinese restaurants but she used to make the best fried rice and ofcourse the authentic kerala dishes and snacks....the days I spent with her are some of the sunken treasures of my life and when I dive into those memories, I get lost somewhere........!!
Banana Leaf - big enough to wrap the fish from all the sides.
Make 4-5 slits on the cleaned fish; mix chilli powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder, ginger and garlic paste, lemon juice and salt with 1-2 tsp of water to make a thick paste and marinate the fish evenly on both sides and keep it for atleast 2 hours. The slits made on the fish will help the marinade to penetrate into the fish during this time.
Heat oil in a flat non-stick pan and place the fish, when the oil is steaming hot. Shallow fry the fish at medium heat by flipping each side when it is almost done; do not make it too crispy and do not overcook ; it should be soft and moist as the same fish is cooked again at the final stage. When the fish is done, (at this stage the oil will stop spluttering) transfer it to the gravy on the banana leaf,instructions for which follow.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and sauté the chopped small onions, ginger, green chilies and curry leaves, in low heat, until they are cooked and golden brown in colour and add a pinch of turmeric powder and chilli powder to get a roasted colour. At this stage, add the thick coconut milk (Users of canned coconut milk need to dilute it by adding some water- for eg: 3 tbsp of coconut milk & add 2tbsp water) and salt and mix well to make the gravy; just combine the gravy well and turn off the stove; do not boil/cook it at all.
Mildly wilt the fresh and washed banana leaf by keeping it on a low flame; Place it in a large flat non-stick pan; Make a thin bed with half of the gravy and keep the roasted fish and top it with the rest of the gravy. Cover and wrap the fish completely by folding the banana leaf, from all the sides and place a lid on top and let it cook for 10-15 minutes on low flame, until the gravy is thick.
Serve hot with rice. You may wilt one more banana leaf and wrap it again before serving, to make it look like 'banana leaf parcels'.
It is very different from the usual fish preparations like fish curry and fish fry. It is not very spicy but still I suggest reducing the number of green chilies for those who cannot eat hot n spicy type of food at all. And if you are lucky to prepare this with a fresh catch of Karimeen (Pearl Spots), then you will notice an oil coating on the sides of the fish along with the gravy, which is not there in my picture as I used a different fish. Oil coating mainly depends on a fatty fish and also on the freshly squeezed coconut milk. Instead of using one whole fish, the same preparation can be done with fish steak pieces, wrapped individually in banana leaf, to serve for a group. This is one of the most famous central Kerala delicacy that adorns the dining table at the time of guest visits as well as X’mas and Easter lunches.
This post is a tribute to my grandma and hence my contribution for FAHC Campaign and Group Cookbook Project. Hope it meets all the criteria.
The pics and the presentation were a delight too.
I have heard a lot about this prep and once when we were visiting Thekkady we had it too. But since I am not used to coconut oil in cooking I was not able to enjoy it that much. I know coconut oil is imp. to kerala cooking and it does bring out certain flavors just like mustard oil does for bengalis.
But do you think we could use other oil for this ?
Sandeepa, Thanks :) I have edited my post after seeing ur comment. I understand your dislike for coconut oil. I suggest vegetable oil as a substitute....and may be olive oil too. Hey, I would love to see the bengali version of this, dont know if you already posted it earlier!
The presentation is too good!
When I was a kid, my grandma would make me special fish curry with very little spices(I couldn't tolerate spices at that time) in a separate manchatti. Things only grandmas can do!
Guess what I made this exact same thing this weekend, and was going to post this over the week. :) I didn't have banana leaves and used foil to wrap it and used Tilapia instead of pomphret... Guess I will wait for a while before posting the recipe.
WOW! What a recipe. We love fish at our household and I really have to give this recipe a try. Just a question: If we cannot find banana leaves - any other substitutes?
Nice write-up, Mishmash! Why do some things taste good only when grandmoms make it?
How do you get the crust on the fish? You haven't listed any flour in the ingredients.
OMG!! Ajji's recipe,I am drooling!!:))LOVE the photos and the info about tradition.
waw ! thats a beautiful presentation!! We had been to the backwaters and on the house-boats on our honey-moon;) It was a great scenic experience. I have visited lots of the locations in kerala. Love the culture,food and place.
what a touching note shn...beautiful... u made me think more abt my grandma who is so much like urs:) granny's are the best ones isn't it? all u get from them is love, love and more love. u can never comit any mistake acc to them:) i love my granny a lot and miss her so much as she is not at her best health now a days.
what a lovely tribute to your Amma... Grandmothers are the best...they have unconditional love for all their grandchildren..its amazing.
Fish recipe looks good! though I don't eat fish...the picture looks great.
Isn't that wonderful about food that just a dish, a recipe or even an ingredient can invoke so many different memories and reaction. It's a wonderful writeup. Thanks for sharing it with us. The meen looks fabulous! also a quick question - can I substitute coconut oil with olive oil?
great post, and wonderful recipe.
Wow, that sounds like a lot of work for just one fish! I hope you made several! :) But that first picture just looks as if it came out of a magazine! Congratulations!
Sorry to hear about your Amma. I have one last grandparent left - my mom's mom - and I dread the day I get "the call". She's already 94 so the tension gets worse by the year. Sigh. Life.
a visually appitizing recipe!!! i luv them so much ..it brings the memmories from the past , my grandma's kitchen ..even my Achamma used to make the same fish fry.
hmmm....enjoy girl!! i am drooling!!
Don't say thanks to us for reading loooooong post.A special special thanks for writing this..And ur meen pollichathu is super...All my blogger friends troubled me a lot by posting mouthwatering recipes..Haaa 0ne more week to go..
nice narration ..really made me think of the delicacies my grandma used to make for me when i was a kid..
I love fish..being typical kottayamkaaran..It is sacreligious not to appreciate a fish dish..
Definitely loved the detailed version of Fish curry..though I dont prepare non-veg I bet its a delight for the fish lovers..
Brings memories of the bond i had with my maternal grandfather.
Awesome recipe....Will try it out one day.
your grandma would be happy in heaven, you're sharing your lovely memory, her labor of love, and this wonderful recipe! I haven't never seen fish prepared in such a beautiful way!
Will definitely try ur recipe.
Sig, thats ok, go ahead and post it :) Infact, I used Tilapia first time when I tried this recipe and found that even such a bland fish like tilapia could taste so good with this recipe !!!
Sra,Thanks :) May be we will know the secrets when we all become grandmas ;) There is no need to use any flour in this recipe..and the so-called crust u re referring to is formed when u fry the fish with all that marinade,again no need for flour here, and also when u top the fish with the gravy before closing the banana wrap. Hope this clarifies your doubt!
Sharmi,Awwwwwww...honeymoon at Aleppey backwaters is perfect :) Am sure whoever comes to kerala falls in love with that place!
Shilpa,noooo I just made one and shared it with my sweetheart :) I know its a bit of work,but its tasty, so I dont mind taking all that effort once in a while :) Magazine quality picture !! oh..my..my, I am flattered:))) I know how dreadful it can be waiting for "the call"..my prayers for you and your grandma.
Maneka,ooohhh Thank you :) We may not get that taste again but we can continue their legacy. Hope you try it.
Kitchenfairy,hehehh....hope you have looooooooots of non veg dishes on easter :) btw, did you get my mail?
Anonymous, Thanks for leaving your comments . I am not an expert but I think it could be because the fish was not fully roasted when you tried to flip it ...the oil slowly stops spluttering when fish is done...so wait till then before you flip it...but if you wait too longer then it will become crispy too :) Also make sure that you place the fish on the pan only when it is steaming hot...Hope it works out next time you try frying a pomfret. Good luck !
You guys have a beautiful day!
what a nice story about your grama! the photos are great and the recipe sounds delicious!
What a nostalgic post. Sorry about your grandma and how you were not there. I know how it feels. When my father's brother passed away and my family didn't let me know 'cause I was away I felt so cheated and so angry that I wasn't there. It is true what you said about 'no closure'.
Moving on, the fish looks totally grand. I have a meen pollichathu post from last year in my drafts. Haven't seen daylight yet.
And I would have missed your beautiful, exciting, enlightening, delicious blog... thank heavens we found each other's blog :)) I am bookmarking you as well.
This is my first of many, many visits.
Your write up was really really touching girl. Loved to read each and every line of it and actually visualized it. And Fish presentation is outstanding. Looks very very traditional. Beautiful. Will pass your site to my friends who are non vegetarians. I am sure they will all thank you for this one.
Adipoli photo! And the recipe looks good..
Sending a hug and big thank you for sharing such a beautiful tribute. I hope to try this stunning recipe someday.
That indeed was a long post..:D.But worth reading every bit of it..Shn..entha edhu..entre vayil vellam vanthu poyi...Anyway planning on a vacation in may...i will satisfy my thirst there..:D.
But in the mean time will try to find banana leaf here...Thanks for the lovely post.
i had spent some time in Alappuzha(kuttanad) and loved it. Loved reading ur tribute to ur grandma and will definitely try this recipe.Sometimes it takes a while to realise the passage of someone dear.
Gini, hmm...its the same situation....I wish to get some closure at least through this post, since I wrote down all the emotions and memories and regrets !!
Seena, Thank you and let me welcome you to Mishmash!
Linda, What I did was just pouring my thoughts and that could be reason it sounded so touching. I really wish ur words are true because I always regret for not telling her how much she meant to me....but those days I dint have that much wisdom :( Hey, hugs to you too and I seriously suggest this recipe, it will not be very spicy at all.
Mahe, why you want to wait till may, there are lots of shops in Chicago where you get banana leaves...go give it a try :) So busy with shopping and travel preparations, huh ?
Just one word. WOW!!!! and then there is another SLURP!!! I absolutely loved your presentation. It looks so professional.
I make the same thing with Tilapia but it doesn't get the traditional taste without banana leaf.
I had been to cochin last time when I visited India and had this Meen porichathu in a restaurant .. Me and my sister loved this ..and now I see a similar picture here. I have noted the recipe down and as i do not cook NV in my house Iam sending it to my sister. Thanks for the recipe Mishmash and enjoyed reading ur writeup.
Thanks for your comments Shn! I like this blog and this excellent recipe. Fish is my favorite non-veggie food and I like it in all form..yes raw too..lol! as in Sushi. I will surely try this one out, if I find plantain leaves around. What do you expect from mid-west anyways!
I am a regular reader of your blog...you are doing a great job with pictures and illustrations..Wanted to post this recipe(karimeen pollichathu)during my summer visit to Kottayam..very well! you got ahead of me!!
hi , Wow the pictures of Aleppey are so beautiful !! I am a sindhi married to a mallu from allepy -Anup keeps talking about the place but unfortunatley we still have to go there .. i'm trying my best to learn kerela food its so so diffrent from out style of cooking ..my aim is to prepare onam dishes all on my own the next time... gonna keep coming back to your page .! The fish looks too tempting .. i have to make this for Anup one day !
Priya, I hope you find the banana leaves...i stay at mid west and we get this one here.
just stopped in to say hello and tell you that I loved the write up and thanks for sharing your grandma's recipe.looks delicious.
Good presentation! Looks so yummy,sure gonna try this today.I tired some of ur recipes and all were really good.Thanx for sharing.Started doing cooking experiments after reading ur blogs!!
made this yesterday and it was a super hit. even my kids who normally will do anything to avoid eating fish loved it. the gravy alone was so mouthwatering. a heartfelt thanks to you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
reading ur blog i had the feel that i myself had written it with only slight varison as to the place.my maternal house is at vakathanam in kottayam and i lost my ammachi 10 years back .but she is still here and everywhere with me .now i have two children,a boy and a baby girl but nothing was able to fill that void in me.i tried ur reciepe and it was superb .keep up the good work and be in touch.
I made this AGAIN yesterday when my family was visiting for a Sunday lunch - and again, it was a huge hit! Thanks so much for your photos, recipes and effort. I love your blog - and recommend it to my brother on plenty occasions. Keep up the good work.
athey,, ee ilakku pakaram enthelum vere optoin undo..? undel engane??
Spicyme, dont know how to thank you for your generous words of appreciation.....i wrote this post to get over some sadness and i felt much relieved after jotting down these thoughts...i understand everyone has a similar story to share.....I still miss my grandma !
Bipu, I wish that pray that you get some closure and solace.....dont know what to say! happy to know that you liked the recipe!
Great work!!!!!!!!!"Hats off to you."
I should say " a great writer, impressive...."and the receipes looks great ,'ll try some .
Reminds me all my childhood memories.
More than the recipe, I enjoyed your nostalgic memories. If I could ever write like you I would wrote the same about my grand ma. As I read , i had tears in my eyes. Time machine-------- hmmm I would want lot of things to come back ( no#1 must be to see my dad and mom young again) . Thanks for bringing back those beautiful memories. Your grandma must be very happy with the way you remember her. At the end of the day that all what matters, how we are remembered.
PS. Recipe, i am gonna try today ;D. Have to hunt for the banana leaves first.
I know it sounds a little too weird to ask this question, but can I use Salmon fillets with skin for this prep?? Wonder how that will taste? Can you help?
I was looking for the recipe for Pollichathu....Wanted to try it out for the first time. Yours was the first blog I searched..And I think I can find everythig I want here.Great Blog..
one more thing....how do I follow your blog?
this recipe is awesome.. i tried this and it came excellent.. thanku so much.. really awesome.. thanks.. i heard good comments after cooking this..
Great Recipe..I tried it .and it was big hit :)..Thank You!