It was somewhere in the pristine verdant slopes high up the Malaysian highlands. A nondescript shack. By a garrulous hill steam.
We were famished. Missing breakfast hadn’t been a good idea.
We checked what they had.
Fish and rice. The ancient lady responded.
Bliss, I am sure our smile said it all.
You can choose the fish, she requested.
We turned our attention from the sublime beauty of the surroundings to the disciplined row of marinated fish.
S points at one of the snappers.
She adds a generous squeeze of lime, wraps the fish in banana leaves, secures the banana leaf parcel with what looks like tooth-picks and places it on the glowing embers.
We turn back to the ethereal equatorial backdrop. The gurgling brook. The plaintive birdsong. The occasional fluttering butterfly. The gentle wind rustling through the dry leaves. The distant screech of a vehicle.
We would have stood there, transfixed, mesmerised by the ravishing beauty of nature, had it not been the aroma of the fish wafting in from the dancing flames.
It’s ready, the lady declares.
As she removes the charred banana leaf enveloping the fish, a burst of heavenly aroma teases my olfactory nerves and I am transported to food heaven.
S and I cannot wait to taste the whole roasted fish.
Back home, I have a bee in my bonnet. The taste of that delectable fish still lingers on my taste buds and needless saying, I am desperate to replicate the flavours.
The experiments start in earnest.
A couple of iterations happen. Some hits and some misses.
A host of tweaks creep in, driven by the availability of fresh produce.
The snapper gives way to the stunning Bhetki.
And finally I have my version of a Whole Roasted Fish, inspired by the gorgeous fish the ancient lady had served.
Earthy. Hearty. Soul food.
Am I happy ? Well, overjoyed to be honest.
Whole Roasted Fish
Ingredients
For the fish roast
- 1 800-900g whole bhetki scaled, cleaned and gutted
- 1/2 tbsp gondhoraj lebu juice
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 gondhoraj lebu
- cooking oil for greasing
- 4 big banana leaves
For the marinade
- 2 one inch lemongrass stalks
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 1 2 inch ginger sliced
- 8-10 fresh red chillies
- 4 garlic cloves
- 10-12 gondhoraj lebu leaves
- 3 tbsp tomato paste cooked ( 2 big tomatoes boiled, peeled and puréed, then cooked to a sticky consistency in 2 tsp of oil)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1/2 tbsp zest of gondhoraj lebu
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash the fish and pat dry. Score the fish (till the main bone) at 1/2 inch intervals on both sides with a sharp knife as shown in the picture.
- Marinate the fish with lemon juice and kosher salt. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
- Take the lemon grass stalks, ginger, garlic, onions, red chillies and 5-6 gondhoraj lebu leaves, grind to a paste.
- Transfer the above paste to a mixing bowl, add the tomato paste, fish sauce, lemon zest, cooking oil, salt , sugar and coarsely ground peanuts. Give it all a hearty mix.
- Smear the marinade all over the fish (including the insides) to coat it well. Keep aside for 30 odd minutes.
- Cut off the central vein of the banana leaves . Warm the leaves over a very low flame, taking care to not char or burn the leaves.
- In a greased baking tray, place two pieces of banana leaf overlapping each other, do ensure they cover the tray. Brush the leaves with oil.
- Gently place the fish on the leaves, add the remaining marinade evenly on the top.
- Place the remaining gondhoraj lebu leaves on the fish, top with a few lemon slices.
- Cover well with another two banana leaves. Brush a little oil on the top of these banana leaves.
- Preheat the oven to 200C, bake the fish for 20-25 minutes. Check with a skewer. The skewer should come out clean.
- Switch the oven to the grill mode, increase the temperature to 210C. Remove the top banana leaves carefully, grill for 5 odd minutes.
- Take the tray out from the oven very carefully and allow the fish to rest for 10 minutes.
- Serve hot with a dash of gondhoraj lebu and a bowl of piping hot steamed rice or coconut rice.
fantastic! just imagining the taste and salivating!