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Spice-crusted sea bass wrapped in banana leaf

Preparation time
30 mins to 1 hour

Cooking time
less than 10 mins

Serves
Serves 4

By ViVek Singh
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

For the sea bream

  • 4 x 180g/6oz sea bream fillets, scaled and pin-boned
  • ½ tsp red chilli powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ lime, juice only

For the spice crust

  • 4 shallots, roughly chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 10 peppercorns
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 20 curry leaves, finely shredded
  • 2 tbsp vegetable or corn oil
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

For the yoghurt rice

  • 450g/1lb freshly steamed rice
  • 2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp caster sugar
  • 285g/10oz Greek-style yoghurt
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

For the tempering for the yoghurt rice

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 whole dried red chillies
  • 5 fresh curry leaves

For the green mango and coconut chutney

  • 3 green mangoes, peeled, seeds removed, cut into dice
  • 85g/3oz grated coconut, fresh or frozen
  • 1 banana shallot, roughly chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tbsp vegetable or corn oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp caster sugar
  • 3 tbsp water

To serve

  • 4 banana leaves cut into 25–30cm/10–12in squares
  • 1 tbsp vegetable or corn oil

Method

  1. To make the sea bream, put the sea bream fillets in a shallow dish and top with the red chilli powder, salt and lime juice. Leave to marinate for about 20 minutes.

  2. To make the spice crust, using a pestle and mortar, pound the shallots, garlic and peppercorns together to a coarse paste. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Set aside.

  3. To make the yoghurt rice, put the steamed rice in a mixing bowl and add the chopped ginger, green chillies, salt and sugar and mix well. Now add the yoghurt, carrot and coriander and mix again.

  4. To make the tempering, heat the oil in a frying pan and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the whole chillies and curry leaves. When the chillies start getting close to burning, pour the tempering over the rice, mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

  5. To make the chutney, put the all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend to a smooth paste, adding a little water if required.

  6. To serve, heat the banana leaves on a hot pan (or in the microwave) until they are soft and pliable. Cover the sea bass fillets with the spice crust and wrap them one by one with the banana leaves and set aside.

  7. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Place the bream fillets wrapped in banana leaves. Cover and cook on both sides on low heat for about 3–5 minutes on each side, or until cooked. Remove the leaf and serve with the chutney and yoghurt rice.

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