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.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa
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.