Banana Leaf Wrapped Fish in Tangy Bell Pepper Sauce

    To make this tangy and spicy fish: 1.*sear the fish 2. make the sauce with bell peppers and green mango 3. fold it in a banana /plantain leaf and steam it. Foil can be used instead of banana leaf.  Sometimes i'll leave out the steaming process and just pour the sauce over the browned fish and serve it. In this recipe i used indian mackerel / ayila meen.
*sear - brown the fish in a very hot tawa / pan. 
Bell pepper is also called sweet pepper or capsicum

fish with bell pepper sauce

indian mackerel / ayila 

Prepare fish:

3              medium sized fish / indian mackerel

1 tsp         chilli powder

1 tsp         channa flour / kadalai maavu or corn starch

1/2 tsp      cumin powder / jeera powder

1/2 tsp      coriander powder / dhania podi

1/8 tsp      turmeric powder

1 tsp         lemon juice

1 tbs         oil

salt to taste

marinate the fish 

 Clean the fish, combine all the other ingredients with the lemon juice and apply it to the fish and let it marinate in the refrigerator till the sauce is made.

To make sauce:

bell peppers, mango and onion

2            bell pepper ( red, yellow or orange)

1/2         small green ( unripe mango) 

4 - 5      shallots (small onions / chinna vengayam )

1/2 tsp   chilli powder 

2 tsp      oil      

salt to taste 

1. Slice the bell pepper, peel the cut the mango and the onions.

2. Heat oil in a pan, fry the bell pepper, onion and mango till it becomes tender, add the chilli powder and salt. Grind the vegetables coarsely and keep it aside.

Cook the fish

sear the fish...

1. Heat  a non stick pan on high for few mins (if we sprinkle a drop of water in the pan it should jump and evaporate immediately), 

2. Add oil to the pan and slide the marinated fish, cook till the pan side of the fish gets crusted and it comes off easily from the pan. 

3. Reduce the heat, flip the fish and cook it. Remove from the pan and cook all the remaining fish.

Yummy!
 Aluminium foil can be substituted for plantain leaves. If you think steaming the fish as a time consuming process, place the fried fish on a serving plate, spoon the sauce over it and serve.  

Steam the fish in banana leaf

Banana leaf wrap....

1 tsp          oil

3                banana leaves

1. Coat the banana leaf with oil, spoon 1 tsp of bell pepper sauce on the middle of the leaf, place a fish on the sauce, spoon two more spoons of sauce over the fish.

2. Wrap the leaf and tie it with a string. Continue with the remaining fish. Steam it in a covered pan/ ricecooker/ iddly cooker for 10 minutes.

3. Remove it from heat and serve it with white rice.

      

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog. Feel free to comment, i love your feedback. Enjoy ur cooking! Have a blessed day :) 

Seared fish in a tangy sauce