{"id":17626,"date":"2021-07-26T19:45:55","date_gmt":"2021-07-26T23:45:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/?p=17626"},"modified":"2025-02-22T20:29:28","modified_gmt":"2025-02-23T01:29:28","slug":"kerala-style-meen-pollichathu-or-whole-fish-cooked-in-banana-leaf-steamed-popular-recipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/kerala-style-meen-pollichathu-or-whole-fish-cooked-in-banana-leaf-steamed-popular-recipe\/","title":{"rendered":"Kerala Style Meen Pollichathu or Whole Fish Cooked in Banana Leaf &#038; Steamed | Popular Recipe"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27832\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/meen-pollichathu-kerala-whole-fish-wrapped-in-banana-leaf-steamed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"475\" height=\"713\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/meen-pollichathu-kerala-whole-fish-wrapped-in-banana-leaf-steamed.jpg 475w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/meen-pollichathu-kerala-whole-fish-wrapped-in-banana-leaf-steamed-133x200.jpg 133w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Whole fish cooked in banana leaf is one of the delicacies of Kerala&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>I love cooking with whole fish; when the fish is wrapped in banana leaf and cooked, it gets even more exciting. One of the delicious ways of cooking fish in Kerala is by slightly pan-frying the whole fish and then wrapping the fish covered with masala in banana leaf. This dish is called &#8220;Meen Pollichathu&#8221; in Malayalam and is served at most of the fine Kerala restaurants and also served in houseboats.<\/p>\n<p>In houseboats, they catch the fresh fish from the backwater (usually pearlspot) and cook it right away. It&#8217;s either fried or prepared this way. Pearlspot fishes are abundant in backwaters and are considered as one of the tastiest fishes. I couldn&#8217;t find pearlspot here, so I used whole pomfret. I even managed to get frozen banana leaves from the Asian store. Making this meen pollichathu was the only thought I had and I hopped into the kitchen right away.<\/p>\n<p>The banana leaves impart a nice aroma and flavor to the fish &amp; will make the dish incredibly delicious.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27833\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Meen-pollichathu-kerala-whole-fish-recipes.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"475\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Meen-pollichathu-kerala-whole-fish-recipes.jpg 475w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Meen-pollichathu-kerala-whole-fish-recipes-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Meen-pollichathu-kerala-whole-fish-recipes-84x55.jpg 84w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Other whole fish recipes:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/pan-fried-whole-red-snapper-with-coconut-sauce-kerala-style\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pan fried Whole red snapper in coconut sauce<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/shrimp-stuffed-tilapia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shrimp Stuffed Tilapia<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Cooking Video<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Kerala Tasty Fish Pollichathu | Whole Pomfret Fish Wrapped In Banana leaf &amp; Steamed | Popular Recipe\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/r0gabQ6u3sI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"easyrecipe mceNonEditable\" data-rating=\"0\"> \t<link itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Meen-pollichathu-kerala-whole-fish-recipes.jpg\" \/>\n<div class=\"item ERName\">Meen Pollichathu or Whole Fish cooked in Banana Leaf<\/div>\n<div class=\"ERClear\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"ERHead\"><span class=\"xlate\">Recipe Type<\/span>: <span class=\"type\">Main<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"ERHead\">Cuisine: <span class=\"cuisine\">Indian<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"ERHead\">Author: <span class=\"author\">Thasneen<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"ERHead\">Prep time: <time itemprop=\"prepTime\" datetime=\"PT30M\">30 mins<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"ERHead\">Cook time: <time itemprop=\"cookTime\" datetime=\"PT45M\">45 mins<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"ERHead\">Total time: <time itemprop=\"totalTime\" datetime=\"PT1H15M\">1 hour 15 mins<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"ERIngredients\">\n<div class=\"ERIngredientsHeader\">Ingredients<\/div>\n<ul class=\"ingredients\">\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Whole fish- 1 (Pomfret, Tilapia, Red Snapper, Pearl Spot Fish)<\/li>\n<li class=\"ERSeparator\">[b]For marinating whole fish[\/b]<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Kashmiri Chili powder- 1 tbsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Chili powder- 1 tsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Ground black pepper- 1\/2 tsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Turmeric powder- 1\/4 tsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Coriander powder- 2 tsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Lemon juice- 3 tbsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Salt- 2 tsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Water- 2 to 3 tbsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ERSeparator\">[b]For making Gravy[\/b]<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Coconut oil- 3 tbsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Ginger, crushed- 1 tbsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Garlic, crushed- 1 tbsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Green chili, chopped- 1 or 2<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Curry leaves- 10 leaves<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Shallots, sliced thin- 4 ( Or add pearl onions or small onions- 10)<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Tomatoes, chopped- 2, large<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Kashmiri chili powder- 1 tsp (add according to your needs)<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Coriander powder- 2 tsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Garam Masala- 1\/2 tsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Tomato paste- 3 tbsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Coconut milk- 1 cup<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Salt- 1 tsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ERSeparator\">[b]Other ingredients[\/b]<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Banana leaves- 2 large<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Coconut oil- 1\/2 cup , for pan frying fish<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Curry leaves- 1 sprig<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ERInstructions\">\n<div class=\"ERInstructionsHeader\">Instructions<\/div>\n<div class=\"instructions\">\n<ol>\n<li class=\"instruction\">In a bowl, combine all the ingredients mentioned for &#8220;marinating fish&#8221; make a thick paste by adding water.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">For making this, fish like whole pomfret, tilapia, pearl spot or red snapper can be used.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Have the cleaned whole fish ready. Score the fish or add a few lines over the meat.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Spread the marinade outside and inside the fish. Let marinate for 15 to 30 minutes.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Place a large cast-iron or non-stick pan over medium heat, add 1\/2 cup coconut oil and let oil turn hot.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Add curry leaves to the oil.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Place the marinated whole fish on the pan, slightly pan fry both sides of the fish till golden in color. Don&#8217;t over cook the fish.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Transfer the pan-fried fish onto a platter and keep aside.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">To the same pan used for pan-frying the fish, add 3 tbsp coconut oil.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Add ginger, garlic, curry leaves &amp; green chilies, saute for 3 minutes.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Add shallots, season with salt and cook till light golden in color.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Add chopped tomato, cook till tomatoes have mashed up.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Add chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala &amp; tomato paste; combine well and cook for 2 minutes.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Add coconut milk, mix well, cook for a few minutes till the gravy thickens.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Taste and add more salt or chili powder if needed.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Remove the pan from the heat. Keep aside the gravy.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"ERSeparator\">[b]To assemble the fish and gravy &amp; steam cook[\/b]<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Rinse the banana leaves under running water, pat dry with a paper towel.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Wilt the banana leaves by showing it over low heat. Wilting will prevent the leaf from breaking apart while wrapping.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Place a couple of banana leaves on a plate.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Evenly spread half of the prepared gravy on the centre of the banana leaf.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Place the pan-fried whole fish over the gravy.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Spread the remaining gravy over the fish.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Cover the fish with banana leaves.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Fold the leaves together and tightly wrap it. If needed tie with kitchen twine.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">On a large pan add 1 cup water. Place a stand on the pan.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Place the wrapped fish on the stand.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Cover the pan with a lid.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Place over medium heat, steam cook for 15 minutes.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">After 15 minutes of cooking, remove the pan from the heat.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Unwrap the banana leaves and serve the fish on the leaf itself.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Serve with rice, chapati, orotti, idiyappam, appam, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ERNutrition\"><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"ERNotesHeader\">Notes<\/div>\n<div class=\"ERNotes\">This can be baked in the oven at 375 F.[br]Place the wrapped fish on a baking sheet &amp; bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"endeasyrecipe\" style=\"display: none;\">3.5.3251<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Whole fish cooked in banana leaf is one of the delicacies of Kerala&#8230; I love cooking with whole fish; when the fish is wrapped in banana leaf and cooked, it gets even more exciting. One of the delicious ways of cooking fish in Kerala is by slightly pan-frying the whole fish and then wrapping &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27833,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[409,382,27,22,1288,91,21,30],"tags":[634,989,651,836],"class_list":["post-17626","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-coconut-milk-by-ingredient","category-fish-by-ingredient","category-indian-cuisine","category-kerala-cuisine","category-low-carb-recipes","category-main-dish-for-lunch-or-dinner","category-fish","category-video","tag-baked-fish","tag-fish","tag-videos","tag-whole-fish","course-main","cuisine-indian-cuisine"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17626","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17626"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17626\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32998,"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17626\/revisions\/32998"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27833"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17626"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17626"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}