Banana Slipper Food

ASIAN STYLE SNAPPER/BREAM IN BANANA LEAVES

Steps:

• Using tongs dip each banana leaf one by one into boiling water, remove immediately, rinse under cold water, dry thoroughly, leaves should be soft and pliable.
• Cut each fish 3 times, place each fish on a leaf, top each fish with lemon grass and garlic.
• Combine garlic, juice, sauces and oil, drizzle a little sauce over each fish reserving about 3-4 tablespoons for the vegeatbles.
• Fold leaves over fish and secure with kitchen string. Place parcels in a pre-heated oven of 180 degress celsius and cook for 25-30 min's or until cooked through.
• Alternativley which I love banana leaves for, cook on the BBQ, covered, using indirect heat for about 20-25 Min's. (I find it takes me 30 Min's in my oven and about 20 Min's on the BBQ, but I do have an extremely hot BBQ, I do not know how 4 smaller fish fillets affects the time as I have only cooked 2 larger fish.).
• The banana leaves will get quite crispy and may even burn in places, they will stay quite moist underneath as the juices run from fish and sauce. For presentation purposes I keep 2 banana leaves to use as the base to serve fish on after.
• Vegetables.
• Heat olive oil in a wok or large pan, add garlic and ginger and stir fry until fragrant.
• Add pepper, carrot and sesame oil, stir fry 2-3 Minutes, add both cabbages, peas, sprouts and reserved sauce. Stir fry until vegetables are just tender serve immediately with fish.
• Extra sauce.
• Just an optional extra if you prefer to have a little more sauce to drizzle over fish once served.
• Combine the 3 ingredients in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave 30-45 seconds to just warm through.
• To Serve: I place a banana leaf on a serving platter top with whole fish, I pour remaining juice and sauce from the bananan leaf fish was cooked in over fish, and arrange the vegetables around the fish, garnish with sliced onions.

BANANA-LEAF-WRAPPED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Preheat a grill pan over medium heat.
• Place oil, tamarind pulp, nuoc nam, garlic, shallots, chile, turmeric, shrimp paste, lemongrass, sugar, ginger, and salt in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until a smooth paste is formed.
• Place banana leaves on the grill for about 2 seconds to make them more pliable. Using tongs, transfer them to a work surface. Trim tops and bottoms of each leave and place a fish fillet in the center of each leaf. Evenly divide the oil mixture between each fillet and spread over fish in an even layer.
• Working with one fish at a time, fold one side of the leaf over the fish, then the other, then fold in ends. Repeat process until all fillets are wrapped. Wrap banana-leaf-wrapped fish in aluminum foil.
• Place foil-wrapped fish on grill and grill, turning once, until a metal skewer or sharp, thin-bladed knife inserted into the center of the fish comes out hot, 5 to 6 minutes per side.
• Carefully unwrap fish from foil and place each banana-leaf-wrapped fillet on a plate; serve immediately with lime wedges.

SLIPPERY BANANA

Steps:

• Blend until frothy and serve.