Fish Nirvana | Pan Fried Fish Poached in Coconut Milk | with step by step photos and video. A refined version of meen pollichadhu. An authentic recipe from the well-renowned Chef Suresh Pillai. Fish fried in spices and then poached in a banana leaf-wrapped green chilli, ginger, pepper coconut milk sauce.
Recipe was inspired by Portuguese cuisines and adapted to Indian palates.
I have used Sheri Fish for making this dish today. Pearl spot (Karimeen), Seer fish (Vanjaram steaks), Mackerel, Pomfret or any fleshy fishes works well for this recipe.
The recipe has two steps:
- Shallow frying the fish
- Poaching the fish in coconut milk sauce
How to make fish nirvana?
Fish Nirvana | Pan Fried Fish Poached in Coconut Milk | with step by step photos and video. Firstly, the spice marinated fish is shallow fried. which is further poached in a banana leaf so the flavour of the leaves and the aroma penetrates into the sauce. The recipes uses the traditional appam pan to poach the fish and that allows the banana leaf to take the curved shape. Moreover, you can use any curved dishes like kadai or clay pots for this recipe.
Additionally, I would like to highlight my other sea food recipes. Hope you would like them.
Fish Nirvana
Course: MainCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy3
servings10
minutes20
minutes10
minutes30
minutesFish Nirvana | Pan Fried Fish Poached in Coconut Milk | with step by step photos and video. A refined version of meen pollichadhu. An authentic recipe from the well-renowned Chef Suresh Pillai.
Ingredients
3 Pieces of Sheri Fish (Fleshy Fish of your choice like king fish, pomfret, cobia)
Banana Leaves
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tsp Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp Pepper Powder
Curry Leaves
Salt as required
Juice of 1 Lemon
4 tbsp + 1 tsp Coconut Oil
1 cup Thick Coconut Milk
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Garlic
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Ginger
2 to 3 Green Chilies
Directions
- Firstly clean the fish and make slits on the fish.
- In a small bowl add 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder, 2 tsp Chilli Powder, 1/2 tsp Pepper Powder, Curry Leaves, Salt as required and juice of 1 full Lemon. Mix it and form a paste.
- Rub this marinade all over the fish.
- Let the fish marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.
- In a pan, add 3 tbsp coconut oil and shallow fry the marinated fish in hot oil over a medium heat.
- Flip & fry both the sides.
- Now remove from oil and keep aside.
- Now heat a clay pot or appam pot or kadai and place a banana leaf. Turn the flame to medium heat.
- Add 1 tbsp coconut oil and curry leaves on this leaf.
- Next, place the fried fishes on the leaf.
- Now add 1 cup thick Coconut Milk, 1 tbsp Finely Chopped Garlic, 1 tbsp Finely Chopped Ginger, 2 to 3 Green Chilies, 1/4 tsp Pepper Powder, 2 pinches of salt and some curry leaves to this.
- Cover & simmer for 5 minutes until the coconut milk sauce starts to thicken.
- Switch off the flame and sprinkle 1 tsp coconut oil.
- Serve it along with rotis or parotta or rice.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Use coconut oil for the exact taste of the dish.
- Use thick coconut milk.
