Patra ni machhi
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Pomfret coated in green coconut-coriander chutney, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed, a Parsi wedding dish.
Region: Parsi community of south Gujarat (Navsari, Udvada, Surat) and MumbaiOccasion: Parsi weddings, navjote and festive mealsTime: 45 minServes: 4Non-vegetarian
Ingredients
- 4 pomfret pieces or small whole pomfrets (about 600 g)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- For the chutney: 1 cup grated coconut, 1 cup coriander leaves, ¼ cup mint leaves, 4 green chillies, 6 garlic cloves, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp lemon juice, salt
- Banana leaves, softened over a flame
- Kitchen string
Method
- Rub the fish with salt and lemon and keep for 15 minutes.
- Grind the chutney ingredients to a thick, smooth paste with very little water.
- Coat each piece of fish thickly with chutney on all sides.
- Wrap each piece in a banana leaf parcel and tie with string.
- Steam the parcels for 15–20 minutes until the fish is cooked. Serve in the leaf.
History
Zoroastrians from Persia settled on the south Gujarat coast more than a thousand years ago, and Parsi cooking mixes Persian and Gujarati ways, as in this dish.
Significance
Patra ni machhi is part of the lagan nu bhonu, the Parsi wedding feast served on banana leaves.