MEEN POLLICHATHU

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Meen pollichathu is a traditional dish from the state of Kerala. It consists of fish-commonly pearl spot (karimeen), marinated with spices, lightly fried, then coated in a rich masala made from ingredients such as shallots, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and few other spices. The fish is wrapped in a banana leaf and slow-cooked or grilled which infuses it with a distinctive aroma and flavor.

Meen pollichathu is known for its smoky, earthy fragrance from the banana leaf and the moist, tender fish with a richly spiced masala coating. It is typically served with rice, appam or Kerala-style breads and is considered one of the signature seafood dishes of Kerala cuisine.

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

Traditionally, meen pollichathu is made with pearl spot fish. But, it can also be made with pomfret. Both white and black pomfret works well for this recipe. I’ve used black pomfret for this recipe.

Average weight of the fish used for this recipe should be around 300 – 600 grams. Fishes with weight less than 250~300 grams are usually so tender and might turn mushy. Fishes with weight more than 600~700 grams will have a thicker skin and flesh, and doesn’t really soak up the masala really well.

I’ve used 4 pomfret fish for this recipe, and this serves 4. Adjust the proportion of ingredients according to your requirements.

INGREDIENTS FOR MEEN POLLICHATHU:

FOR MARINATING AND FRYING THE FISH:

• BLACK POMFRET – 4 NOS.
• CHILLY POWDER – 2 TBSP
• GINGER GARLIC PASTE – 1 TBSP
• PEPPER POWDER – 1 TSP
• SALT – AS REQUIRED
• LEMON JUICE – 1 TBSP
• COCONUT OIL – 1 TBSP + 1/2 CUP (FOR FRYING)

FOR PREPARING THE MASALA:

• SHALLOTS (PEELED/THINLY SLICED) – 300 GMS
• TOMATOES (MEDIUM SIZE/FINELY CHOPPED) – 2 NOS.
• GREEN CHILLIES (MEDIUM SPICY/THINLY SLICED) – 2 NOS.
• GINGER GARLIC PASTE – 1 TBSP
• CHILLY POWDER – 1 TBSP
• CORIANDER POWDER – 1.5 TBSP
• PEPPER POWDER – 1 TSP
• CUMIN POWDER – 1 TSP
• COCONUT MILK – 1 CUP
• SALT – AS REQUIRED
• CURRY LEAVES – 10~15 NOS.
• COCONUT OIL – 2~3 TBSP

FOR ASSEMBLING FISH AND THE MASALA (FOR SINGLE SERVING):

• BANANA LEAF(CUT INTO HALVES ALONG ITS LENGTH) – 2 NOS.
• FRIED FISH – 1 NO.
• PREPARED MASALA – 1/2 CUP
• COCONUT OIL – 1 TBSP

HOW TO MAKE MEEN POLLICHATHU:

• Clean and wash the fish thoroughly with salt and water. Remove the fins, tail and head of the fish.

• Also, make a few slits on both sides of the fish. This helps the fish to easily absorb all the flavors from the masala.

• In a mixing bowl, add the chilly powder, pepper powder, salt, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice and coconut oil.

• Mix everything well. It should have a thick paste like consistency. Add little water if needed. Coat the masala on all sides of the cleaned fish.

• Cover the mixing bowl, and keep it in the refrigerator. It should rest for at least 30 minutes.

• Meanwhile, heat a pan, and add 2 tbsp of coconut oil to it. Once the oil is heated, add the curry leaves to it.

• Once the curry leaves start to fry, add the thinly sliced shallots to it. Saute them until it turns light golden brown in color.

• Once the shallots start to turn light golden brown in color, add the green chillies and ginger garlic paste to it. Saute them for a minute on medium-high flame.

• After about 1 minute, turn the flame to medium-low. Add the chilly powder, coriander powder, pepper powder, cumin powder and salt to it.

• Mix everything well, and add the finely chopped tomatoes to it.

• Mix it well. Let it cook on medium-low for about 2 minutes or until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.

• After about 2 minutes, add 1 cup of coconut milk to it.

• Mix it well, turn the flame to medium-high and cook it until it thickens.

• Once it thickens, turn off the flame and keep it aside.

• After about 30 minutes, remove the marinated fish from the refrigerator.
• Heat a pan and add 2 tbsp of oil to it. Once the oil is heated add the marinated fish to it. Add one or two at a time.

• Fry the fish on medium-low flame. Do not turn the fish immediately. Let it fry on one side for 2 minute and then turn it.

• Fry the fish until it turns crispy and dark golden brown on both sides.

• Once the fish turns crispy and is fried completely, transfer it to a plate. Repeat the process with the remaining fish.

• To assemble the fish and the masala, cut the banana leaf into half along its length, and place it over the direct flame. The leaf slightly shrinks and darkens in color. Move the leaf over the flame to heat it evenly.
• Place the heated banana leaf, and add 1/4 cup of the prepared masala over it.

• Spread the masala to a thin layer and place the fried fish over it.

• Spread 1/4 cup of masala over the fish. Make sure the fish is completely covered in the masala.

• Fold the leaf on all 4 sides, and place it over another heated banana leaf.

• Fold it on all 4 sides, and tie it with a thread as shown in the image below.

• Repeat the process with all the fish.

• Once all the fishes are wrapped in banana leaf, heat a pan and add 1 tbsp of oil to it.
• Once the oil is heated, place the wrapped fish onto the pan. Add one at a time.

• Cook it on medium-low flame. Let it cook on one side for about 2 minutes and then turn it over.

• Do not turn it constantly. The banana leaf is so tender and might break easily. Cook it until the banana leaf turns brown in color on both sides.
• Once it turns brown on both sides, transfer it to a plate. Repeat the process with the remaining wrapped fish.

• Cut the thread with a scissor and open it carefully, along the way it is folded.

YUMMY AND DELICIOUS MEEN POLLICHATHU IS READY.

SERVE IT HOT WITH SLICES OF ONIONS AND LEMON.

VARIATIONS:

• Spiciness can be adjusted according to our preference.
• Pearl spot (karimeen), white or black pomfret can be used for this recipe.
• Coconut oil can be replaced with any neural oil.
• Shallots can also be replaced with finely chopped regular onions.

PRO TIPS:

• Remove the fins, tail and head of the fish. Also, clean it thoroughly with salt and clean water to remove the raw blood and fishy smell.
• Make slits on both sides of the fish. This helps the flavor to penetrate deep into the fish.
• The fish has to be marinated for at least 30 minutes for enhanced flavor.
• Finely chopped cuts of onions, tomatoes and green chillies are commonly preferred for this recipe.
• The consistency of the prepared masala should be slightly thick. Dry masala cannot be coated over the fish. Also, if the masala is too watery, it might overflow.
• Heat the banana leaf by placing it over the direct flame. Heating it softens the texture making it easy to fold.
• Wrap the fish with two leaves. This prevents the leaf from breaking when fried.
• Cook the wrapped fish on medium-low flame, until the leaf turns brown. This helps the flavor to infuse into the fish really well.
• Be careful while frying the wrapped fish. The oil might splatter. Also, turn it gently using 2 spatulas.
• Cut the thread using a scissor, and open the leaf carefully along the way it is folded. The wrapped leaf and the contents are so tender and might turn the fish mushy, if not handled properly.