Foods of Kerala

Photo by: Live to Eat
Grilled trout in banana leaf-
Cooking food wrapped in Banana leaves is an age old technique in Kerala. Our fish pollichathu is the most delicious form of fish that I’ve ever eaten! I wasn’t surprised to learn that the same technique is followed in other Asian countries too. Cooking this way keeps the food moist with all its natural juices collected inside the leaf packet. Also the banana leaf itself imparts its natural ... more 

Photo by: Live to Eat
Grilled trout in banana leaf-
Cooking food wrapped in Banana leaves is an age old technique in Kerala. Our fish pollichathu is the most delicious form of fish that I’ve ever eaten! I wasn’t surprised to learn that the same technique is followed in other Asian countries too. Cooking this way keeps the food moist with all its natural juices collected inside the leaf packet. Also the banana leaf itself imparts its natural flavor and fragrance into the food. Instead of a traditional fish Pollichathu recipe, I decided to make up my own marinade this time, and just made up stuff along the way. This is a versatile recipe, substitute with your favorite marinade. BTW, it is tricky to get the banana leaf wrap right. So we wrapped the banana leaf packets in a layer of aluminum foil, just to keep it safe. Here is a pic of it fresh from the grill, inside the banana leaves: We had it with a side salad, and some Sauvignon Blanc, a great combo. Ingredients * 4 medium sized whole Trout cleaned (keep the head and tail if you want to take a picture afterwards or if you are serving to guests) * Butter /oil for brushing * Banana leaves - make sure the pieces are big enough to wrap the fish in. * For the marinade o 1 tbsp black peppercorns o 7-8 cloves of garlic o 1 tbsp rosemary o 6 tbsp lemon juice o 2 tbsp soy sauce o 1 tbsp paprika o Salt to taste * For the stuffing o thin round Onion slices - 8 pieces less