Patra Ni Machhi - the one fish dish every Parsi craves !

 Patra Ni Machhi

Patra ni machhi - Who doesn't love it? It is a signature Parsi dish and perhaps the most popular dish served during Parsi celebrations . Do you know that it is actually very simple to make yet tastes exactly like the one served at lagans and navjots? Here's the recipe.

Ingredients (for 3 / 6 servings)

• Whole Pomfret fish - 6 

• Banana leaves - 3 leaves, each cut into half

• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

• Lemon - 2 

• Thread - to tie

• For Chutney -    

Coriander leaves - 2 cups 

Mint leaves - 2 cups

Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp

Lemon juice - of 1 lemon

Curd - 1 tbsp

Garlic - 5 to 7 cloves

Coconut - 1/4 of a small coconut

Green Chillies - 4 to 5 fat green chillies (or 6 small green chillies)

Sugar - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Method

Wash the fish and marinate them with salt, turmeric powder and juice of one lemon.

Keep aside for 10 minutes

Make the chutney by grinding all the chutney ingredients to a fine paste

Coat each fish with a thick layer of chutney

Wrap each fish with half a banana leaf and tie it with a thread

Keep aside for 30 minutes

Steam all the fish in the pressure cooker WITHOUT THE WHISTLE for 10 - 15 minutes

Open the leaf and enjoy the fish with the chutney (don't eat the leaf though !)