Bengali Bhetki Macher Paturi Recipe by Chef Subhash Jana

Bengali Bhetki Macher Paturi Recipe is Bengali Style Barramundi Fish cooked by wrapping in banana leaf. The bhetki fish pieces are marinated in a spiced mustard paste, wrapped in banana leaf individually and then slow cooked till tender. The word "Paturi" means leaf, in Bengali. Generally we Bengalis make paturi using Ilish (hilsa fish), Bhetki (Barramundi fish) and chingri (prawn). This is a delicious recipe with the bhetki fish. Try savouring this Bengali Bhetki Macher Paturi Recipe (Barramundi Fish Wrapped in Banana Leaf) along with plain steamed rice.

Fish Paturi

· 4 Bhetki fish , fillets cut to 4*2 inch pices

· 2 tablespoons Mustard seeds

· 1 tablespoon Poppy seeds

· 1/4 cup Fresh coconut , grated, plus more to garnish

· 7 Green Chillies , slit

· 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)

· Salt , to taste

· 1 Banana leaf , cut into 10*8 rectangles

· 2 tablespoon mustard oil

· salt as required

Directions

1. To begin making Bengali Bhetki Macher Paturi Recipe (Barramundi Fish Wrapped in Banana Leaf), mix the fish pieces with half teaspoon turmeric powder and salt in a bowl.

2. In a mixer grinder, make a paste of mustard seeds, poppy seeds and green chilies by adding a little bit of water.

3. Take the grated coconut in a bowl. Add mustard seeds paste, a bit of salt to taste and remaining turmeric powder. Mix and make a fine mixture with a fork.

4. Cover and keep them in the fridge for an hour.

5. Remove the fish from the fridge and mix with a teaspoon of mustard oil.

6. Stir gently, warm the banana leaves over an open flame for 30 seconds, make sure it does not get burnt.

7. Put banana leave pieces glossy side up over a plate, rub a little mustard oil on it. Now spread a teaspoon of marinated paste in the center of the banana leaf, place one piece of fish on the paste and put another teaspoon of paste on the top of fish piece so as to cover the fish piece by the paste from both sides then place a green chili on top of it.

8. Fold the banana leaf to make it a square parcel and tie with thread that the parcels will not open while cooking. Repeat the process for all the fish pieces.

9. Now take a non-stick pan and grease some oil on it and place the banana leaf wrapped fish pieces on it (you can place 4 - 5 pieces at a time ,according to the size

of your pan), close the pan with a heavy lid and cook on medium heat for 8-9 minutes on each side on a medium heat.

10. When one batch is done, remove them and place in a casserole to keep the paturi hot. Again repeat the same process to cook the rest of the macher paturi.