Ever been to a traditional South Indian feast?

Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa's Executive Chef Mukesh Sharma has a feast recipe for you -- Vetrilai Meen.

The dish derives its name from vetrilai, the Tamil word for betel leaf.

Vetrilai Meen

Ingredients

• 180 gm rawas fish or Indian salmon, cut into fillets
• 4 paan or betel leaves, cut into small pieces
• 4-5 paan or betel leaves, ground to a paste
• 4-5 paan or betel leaves, for wrapping the fish
• 10 gm garlic, chopped 
• 15 gm ginger, chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 5 green chillies, chopped
• 3-4 sambar onions or shallots, whole
• 15 gm dhania or coriander powder
• 1 + 1 tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• 50 ml coconut oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• Salt to taste

Method 

• Heat the coconut oil in a thick-bottomed kadhai or wok.
  Once the oil heats up, add the curry leaves, chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies and saute well.
  Add the shallots and 4 chopped betel leaves.
  Add the coriander and turmeric.
  Saute well but turn off the heat before the ingredients lose colour.
• Once it cools, grind the mixture into a fine paste and keep aside.
• Wash the fish fillets and drain off any excess water.
  Apply the ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and the additional turmeric powder.
  Apply the betel leaf paste and keep the fish aside for 30 minutes.
• Once the fish absorbs the masala, wrap the fish in betel leaves and grill till well done.Serve warm.

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