Ilish Macher Dhakai Paturi Fish In Banana Leaves Food

ILISH MACHER DHAKAI PATURI - FISH IN BANANA LEAVES

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together to make a rub. Rub on fish.
• Wrap fish in banana leaves.
• Bake in a 300° oven on a baking pan until the banana leaves dry out and shrink in size. about 10-20 minutes.
• * You can substitute Ilish with carp, bass, trout or any fish you like.

BAKED FISH WRAPPED IN BANANA LEAVES

Steps:

• Cut fish into large pieces, wash and pat dry. Salt and set aside.
• Mix the garlic, chillies, coriander leaves, coconut, lime or lemon juice, tamarind, sugar, cumin and salt into a paste and smear over fish. Let marinate 1 hour.
• Grease foil (if using) with ghee. Place a piece of fish on a banana leaf or foil piece and fold so fish is encased.
• Coat an oven-safe dish with ghee and place wrapped fish pieces into the dish. Cook for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
• Unwrap one piece of fish to check if it's cooked through and cook until finished.

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.

LEMON GRILLED FISH IN BANANA LEAVES

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium.
• In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with ½ cup olive; add thyme, salt and pepper.
• Brush both sides of fillets generously with lemon mixture and place each in a banana leaf.
• Place 4 lemon slices and a sprig of thyme on each fillet.
• With the short side of the leaf facing you, fold bottom edge over fish; fold sides over fish, then fold package away from you to envelop the fish.
• Secure each packet with 3 wet toothpicks or tie like a girtbox with a wet piece of string.
• Cook the fish packets on grill, about 6 minutes per side ( the leaves will brown, which is OK).
• While the fish grills, sauté garlic in 1 Tbs olive oil over medium-high heat about 1 minute.
• Add the onions through tomatoes and sauté about 5 minutes until vegetables are tender; season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, put a fish packet in the center of each plate, open the leaf and spoon vegetables around fillet.

TAISI MOA (SAMOAN CHICKEN BAKED IN BANANA LEAVES)

Steps:

• In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, barbeque sauce (I used a Chinese one), ginger and coconut milk. Check the taste of the marinade adding more soy sauce, barbecue sauce or ginger to your taste.
• Place the chicken, plantain and sweet potato in a large bowl and pour over the marinade. Marinate for 30 minutes.
• Gently warm the banana leaf over a fire until the leaf is pliable (do not burn it), just 3 minutes. (Istead of banana leaf and baking sheet, you can use a baking mold with lid, it's not the same but it's better then nothing).
• Cut the leaf into four large squares from 30 x 30 cm.
• Place the chicken onto the banana leaf square and evenly divide the vegetables on top.
• Pour any remaining marinade and fold the leaves around the chicken.
• Tie the package and place them in a baking sheet (lined with baking paper).
• Bake in a previously pre-heated oven at 180°C until the chicken is tender and completely done (around 1 hour).
• Check the package occasionally to make sure they do not burn.

FISH STEAMED IN BANANA LEAVES

Steps:

• Add the chilli powder, turmeric, salt, sugar, mustard oil and green chillies to the fillets.
• Mix well to coat evenly.
• (Don't be afraid to use your hands.) Marinate fish for 20-30 mins.
• Now add the ground mustard and immediately wrap each fillet with a little extra marinade on top into individual pouches with the banana leaf.
• Steam for 20 mins in a steamer.
• Enjoy.