Fish in Coconut Milk

This is a South Indian recipe.

When we were growing up, we never had non-veg south Indian food. It wasn't until I was working in India that I got a chance to explore South Indian food outside the confines of my family cooking.

This is a dish from Kerala, where by Dad was born and raised, but I actually first had it at a Kerala restaurant in Chennai. Its absolutely divine!

The fish is fried and then poached in a coconut cream sauce with banana leaves. Delicious!






Ingredients
4 whole small white fish or whole fish, weighing about 12 oz each (1.5 lbs)
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 teaspoon salt
3.5 tablespoon oil
3/4 inch ginger, sliced
6-8 garlic cloves
3-4 green chilies, slit and deseeded
6 green cardamom pods, bruised
2 medium onions slice
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1.5 cups coconut milk
Banana leaf (optional but really nice!)
30 fresh curry leaves
1 cup thick coconut milk (1/2 cup coconut cream will also do)
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 lime, squeezed, for garnish

You can get good fresh fish and banana leaves at most Filipino markets. I got the banana leaves at the Island Pacific Supermarket in Union City. (see my Store I Frequent page for listing)

Take out 2 or 3 of the banana leaves. If they are frozen, it is best to take them now to let them defrost naturally.


Clean the fish. Pat dry with paper towels. Cut slits on both sides of the fish to allow the spices to penetrate.

Combine tumeric, red pepper and salt in a dish or small baking pan. Sprinkle over the fish and gently rub in so the whole fish is covered. Marinate for 5 minutes.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a wok. Fry the fish for  5 minutes on both sides, or until outer skin is crispy and golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel or banana leaf.

In the same wok, add ginger, garlic, green chilies, cardamoms pods and onion. Stir in the ground coriander and stir fry for a few minutes. Add the coconut milk and allow to heat through. Heat until the coconut milk begins to simmer. Remove from heat and cool slightly for a few minutes. Do not let the coconut milk come to a boil.












Once slightly cool, add the coconut milk and masala mixture to a food processor. Blend until a smooth paste.

In the meantime, take a banana leaf and put it over an open flame on your range. The heat will release natural oils that give the banana leaf its special unique flavor! As you put it under the flame, you will see the leaf change color and turn a bright green. Remove from the flame when all the leaf is that bright green. Be sure not to burn the banana leaf.

Take a wide, thick bottomed skillet and line with banana leaf. Preferably you want a flat bottom pan, not a round bottom pan like a wok.


Place the fish on the banana leaf. Sprinkle with curry leaves.













Pour the coconut sauce all over it. Bring the coconut mixture to a boil uncovered. Reduce the heat to low.

Continue to simmer the coconut milk, uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes until the fish is cooked. Add the coconut cream and heat through. Do not allow the coconut milk to boil.

Take a seperate small frypan and heat 1/2 tablespoon oil. Stir fry the mustard seeds for 1 minute, until they begin to pop. Pour the mustard seeds and the remaining oil over the fish. Serve with freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice on top of the fish. Delicious!

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