Meen Pollichathu — Fish in Banana Leaf Pan-Fried (മീൻ പൊള്ളിച്ചത്)

Ingredients

• 4 Karimeen (pearl spot, Etroplus suratensis), whole, cleaned and scored, scored on both sides to allow masala to penetrate
• For the masala
• 3 Onions, large, sliced and deep-fried until dark golden, then ground to a paste
• 80 g Coconut, fresh, grated
• 6 Dried red chillies, ground
• 1 tsp Turmeric, ground
• 1 tsp Black pepper, ground
• 2 Tomatoes, chopped
• 2 sprigs Curry leaves, fresh
• 4 Banana leaf sections, each large enough to wrap one fish; briefly wilted over a direct flame until pliable
• 30 ml Coconut oil, for pan-frying

Method

1. 1
   Wilt each banana leaf section by passing it directly over a medium flame for a few seconds per side, so the leaf loses its brittleness and becomes pliable enough to fold around the fish without splitting and letting the masala escape. The leaf is ready when it has turned a shade darker, become fully pliable, and no longer resists folding without cracking.
2. 2
   Deep-fry the sliced onions until dark golden, then drain and grind to a smooth paste — taking the onions to a deep colour here drives a sweetness and depth into the masala that lightly cooked onions will not give. Combine with the grated coconut, ground red chilli, turmeric, black pepper, curry leaves, and tomato, then cook the combined mixture in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the masala is thick, fragrant, and pulls away from the pan as a single mass, because only a masala this dry will stay packed against the fish inside the sealed parcel rather than running out. The masala must be thick enough to coat a spoon without running.
3. 3
   Pack the masala thickly over both sides and into the scores of each fish, pressing it into the cuts so the flavour reaches the bone rather than sitting only on the surface. Lay the coated fish in the centre of a wilted banana leaf section, fold the leaf firmly over the fish, and tuck the ends under to form a sealed parcel, securing with a toothpick or a strip of banana leaf if needed. The parcel should show no gaps.
4. 4
   This is where the dish lives or dies. Heat a tawa over medium heat, add the coconut oil, and place the parcels seam-side down — medium heat, not high, so the leaf chars slowly and has time to perfume the fish with its woody, smoky character before the outside burns through and the masala scorches. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes per side, flipping once only and very gently, as the charred leaf is fragile. The parcel is ready when both sides are visibly charred and the interior gives off a fully cooked, spiced aroma with no smell of raw fish.
5. 5
   Transfer the parcels to plates unopened so the trapped steam and fragrance are preserved for the table. Open at the table: the leaf should release an aromatic cloud of char, coconut, and spiced masala. Serve with Kerala rice or appam.