Parsi-style fish wrapped in banana leaves

I adore  'hara masala' (green masala) as you might have noticed from a few recipes here! In this recipe the marriage of  green chilli, coriander and mint is sublime - the leafy pungency of the coriander, the sharp fragrance of the mint coupled with the grassy heat from the green chilli brings out the aquatic essence of the hake or haddock (use only a chunky meaty white fish) together with the addition of coconut which add exotic nuttiness - all this results in a match made in heaven.This recipe was passed on to my mother by a Parsi friend at university where my mom was learning to be a 'good wife' as I always tease her i.e. home economics college in Karachi - she is of course a perfect wife and mother too, and that isn't just because of her training at her Alma Mater :-) This is a traditional Parsi recipe which is passed on family to family in their community across the sub-continent. This is my mother's take on the recipe she was given. It's worth sourcing the banana leaves, which are available from most oriental shops, because they add a very distant leafy aroma which compliments the hara masala besides I just love the neat little green packets! Additionally if you can't find fresh coconut, use desiccated coconut and a tablespoon of coconut milk.Ingredients1 kilo of fresh white firm fleshed fish such as hake, haddock or cod skinned and cut in palm-sized filletsfor the hara masala, grind into a very thick and fine paste: half a large bunch of coriander, 10-15 mint leaves, 2-4 de-viened chills, 1/4 fresh coconut, 1/2 tsp turmeric, juice of one lemon, 1 tsp freshly dry roasted cumin, a little less than 1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste, salt to tasteoil to fry1-2 large banana leaves, soaked in hot boiling water for about 5 mins, cut to size to enable you to wrap the fisha roll of thick jute twine or stringServes about 3-5 people and takes about 1 hour to make (for best results DO NOT reheat and this should be cooked right before serving)

Method

1.  Marinate the fish pieces in the hara masala for unto 45 minutes then wrap into banana leaf 'envelope' style and tie with string, the fish should be completely covered.
2. Heat a little oil in a shallow pan and fry the fish on low heat on each side for about 7-8 minutes and until done.  Partially cover the pan as the fish will splutter quite a bit besides the steam also helps in cooking the fish faster. Maintain low heat throughout. Serve immediately once ready!
3. Menu suggestion: Great served with my Kathi Daal and Yellow Potato Pullao with Dill (Aalo ki Tayri) - both coming soon!