Fish roasted in sal leaves
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Small river or pond fish mixed with mustard paste, garlic and chilli, wrapped in sal leaves and roasted in embers or on a pan.
Region: JharkhandOccasion: Everyday meals and outdoor cooking in the villagesTime: 45 minServes: 4Non-vegetarian
Ingredients
- 500 g small fish (or pieces of rohu), cleaned
- 2 tbsp mustard seeds, soaked and ground with 2 green chillies
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- Salt to taste
- 8–10 large fresh sal leaves and thin twigs or string to tie
Method
- Mix the fish with the mustard paste, garlic, onion, turmeric, chilli powder, mustard oil and salt. Leave for 15 minutes.
- Lay two or three overlapping sal leaves flat and place a portion of fish in the centre.
- Fold the leaves into a packet and pin or tie it closed.
- Roast the packets in hot embers, or on a covered tawa on low heat, for 15–20 minutes, turning once, until the leaves are charred and the fish is cooked.
- Open the packets at the table and eat with rice.
History
Sal leaves are used everywhere in Jharkhand’s villages, as plates, cups and wrappers for cooking, and cooking food wrapped in leaves in the fire is an old method.
Significance
The dish shows how closely the food of Jharkhand’s tribal communities is tied to the sal forest, which gives leaves, seeds, wood and shade.