Go Back
Whole Roasted Fish

Whole Roasted Fish

5 from 1 vote
Whole roasted Bhetki. Gorgeous bhetki. A wicked marinade. Wrapped in banana leaves and char grilled to perfection. Ideal for that lazy Sunday lunch ?
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients Method

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

Method
 

  1. 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.
    Raw Fish Photography
  2. Marinate the fish with lemon juice and kosher salt. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
  3. Take the lemon grass stalks, ginger, garlic, onions, red chillies and 5-6 gondhoraj lebu leaves, grind to a paste.
  4. 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.
  5. Smear the marinade all over the fish (including the insides) to coat it well. Keep aside for 30 odd minutes.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Gently place the fish on the leaves, add the remaining marinade evenly on the top.
  9. Place the remaining gondhoraj lebu leaves on the fish, top with a few lemon slices.
  10. Cover well with another two banana leaves. Brush a little oil on the top of these banana leaves.
  11. Preheat the oven to 200C, bake the fish for 20-25 minutes. Check with a skewer. The skewer should come out clean.
  12. Switch the oven to the grill mode, increase the temperature to 210C. Remove the top banana leaves carefully, grill for 5 odd minutes.
  13. Take the tray out from the oven very carefully and allow the fish to rest for 10 minutes.
  14. Serve hot with a dash of gondhoraj lebu and a bowl of piping hot steamed rice or coconut rice.