Allergens in Patra ni Machhi: fish.
Ingredients
Quantities for 4.
- 4 pomfret fillets, about 150g each, or 2 small whole pomfret Fishany firm white fish works
- 1 cup, freshly grated Coconutfrozen grated coconut, thawed, is fine
- 2 packed cups, stalks included Coriander Leaves
- 1/2 cup leaves Mintoptional
- 4, stalks removed Green Chilli
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1.5 tsp Sugarbalances the lime
- 2, juiced Lemon
- 1 tbsp Vinegarcane vinegar if you have it
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- to taste Salt
Cookware
steamer, blender, stovetop
Checked against the ingredient list for ten allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, soy and gluten. Brands vary, so read the label on anything new to you.
Before you start
- Pat the fish bone dry, rub with half the lemon juice and 1/2 tsp salt, and rest 15 minutes in the fridge.
- Soften banana leaves over a low flame for a few seconds until they turn glossy and pliable. They crack if used cold. Baking parchment works if you cannot find them.
- Grate the coconut fresh if you can; desiccated coconut makes a dry, grainy chutney.
Method
- Blend the coconut, coriander, mint, green chilli, garlic, cumin seeds, sugar, turmeric, remaining lemon juice, vinegar and salt to a thick paste.Add water a tablespoon at a time, no more than 3 tbsp total. A watery chutney runs off the fish.
- Taste the chutney and correct it now. It should be sharp, sweet and hot all at once, and it will taste milder once steamed.
- Cut the softened banana leaf into rectangles roughly twice the size of each fillet.
- Spread a spoon of chutney on the leaf, lay the fish on it, then blanket the fish with a thick layer of chutney on top and sides.Be generous. The chutney is the dish, not a seasoning.
- Fold the leaf over into a snug parcel and tie with kitchen string or secure with a toothpick.
- Set the parcels in a steamer over rapidly boiling water, cover, and steam 12 minutes for fillets or 18 for whole fish.
- Open one parcel at the edge and press the thickest part. The flesh should part into flakes with no translucent centre.Overcooked pomfret turns cottony in about two minutes flat. Check early.
- Rest the parcels 3 minutes off the heat, then serve them closed so each person opens their own.
Safe temperatures: Fish is done at 63°C / 145°F, or when it turns opaque and flakes easily. Reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F. FoodSafety.gov
Storage
Best eaten the day it is made. Refrigerate leftover parcels up to 2 days and re-steam 5 minutes; never microwave, which toughens the fish.
Nutrition Good estimate
One serving of Patra ni Machhi (93 g) is about 139 calories, or 149 calories per 100 g.
Low protein: 9 g a serving, 27% of the calories
| Per serving93 g | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 139 kcal | 149 kcal |
| Protein | 9.4 g | 10 g |
| Carbohydrate | 8.9 g | 10 g |
| of which sugars | 3.3 g | 4 g |
| Fibre | 3.0 g | 3 g |
| Fat | 7.9 g | 8 g |
| of which saturated | 6.1 g | 7 g |
| of which unsaturated | 1.1 g | 1 g |
Estimated from raw ingredients using USDA FoodData Central.
More like this: Healthy Indian recipes · Gluten-free Indian recipes · Dairy-free Indian recipes · Parsi recipes
Times, yields, allergens and nutrition are guidance. Use your own judgement on doneness and on storing. More in About.