Sneha's Recipe: Whole Mackerel

This is recipe is a Kerala delectable mackerel fish roast in banana leaf wrap . It's spicy but delicious and it pairs best with hot steamed rice. This fish recipe is popularly known as fish pollichath.

Ingredients
1 Whole Mackerel - make slits
Coconut oil or Vegetable oil as required
Banana leaf's as required
For Fish Marination
¼ Teaspoon Turmeric powder - quarter tsp
½ Teaspoon Chili powder - half tsp
1 Teaspoon Vinegar / Lemon juice
¼ Teaspoon Level Sea Salt
For The Masala
1 Large Tomato - sliced
1 Teaspoon Garlic - mashed
1 Teaspoon Kashmir Chilly powder
¼ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Garam Masala powder
Other Ingredients
3 - 4 Kaffir Lime Leaves
1 Lemon - cut into thin slices

Method

Clean and wash the fish well , then pat dry it well. Give slits in fish and marinate the fish with all the ingredients given under 'for fish marination'. Keep refrigerated for 1 hour (do not skip this).
Meanwhile let's make the masala
Heat a kadai with a tablespoon oil. Add the tomato slices, salt and sauté well. Cover and cook over a medium flame until mushy. Add mashed garlic and stir well until raw smell of garlic disappears. Then add chilly, garam masala powder and turmeric powder. Combine well. To this add half a cup of water and let it cook until oil separates. Switch off the flame.

Heat oil in a pan for shallow frying. Fry the marinated fish until both sides for a minute on each side. Be careful, do not fry the fish until crispy. Transfer to a plate.
Now take a banana leaf and slightly heat the banana leaf. This helps to fold the leaf without breaking.

Take the leaf place half of the tomato masala on the leaf , then lemon slices, chiffonades of karffir lime leaves Now place the half fried fish.

Top the remaining tomato roast masala over the fish again lemon slices and chiffonade of karffir lime leaves.

Fold the banana leaf and seal it folds with tooth picks.
Preheat the air fryer at 180°C for 5 minutes.

Place this in the basket of the air fryer and set the timer to 10 minutes.

Ta da.. air fryer healthy whole mackerel fish is ready to be enjoyed.

When done, serve hot with the leaf.

Enjoy with hot steamed rice.
Labels: Mackerel, Whole Mackerel, Kerala, Air Fryer, Banana Leaf, Spicy, Main course, Seafood/Fish, Fish Friday

Are you a food blogger who would you like to join Fish Friday Foodies? We post and share new seafood/fish recipes on the third Friday of the month. To join our group please email Wendy at wendyklik1517 (at) gmail.com. Visit our Facebook page and Pinterest page for more wonderful fish and seafood. Theme for this month - let's share some recipes using the oven to roast our fish and seafood.