Karimeen Pollichathu/ Pearl Spot Fish cooked in banana leaf

In a bowl add all the marination ingredients and make a smooth paste. Take the fish and apply the paste all over the  fish. Keep aside marinated for few minutes.

Take the shallots, green chillies, ginger, garlic chop them finely. I used a hand chopper to finely chop them. Remove and keep aside. Finely chop the tomatoes too separately.

In a pan heat 1 tbsp coconut oil. Layer the fishes and pan sear both sides of the fish for 3-5 mins.

Take the banana leaf and show in the flame for few seconds and let it wilt. But be careful not to show for long else it will burn.

In a pan heat 2 tbsps coconut oil. Add the chopped shallots, green chillies, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and saute for 2 – 3 mins. Add chopped tomatoes and saute till it turns mushy.

Add the turmeric powder, red chilly powder, pepper powder, coriander powder and saute for 2 mins. Tune off the heat. Add lemon juice and give a quick stir.

Now take a banana leaf and spoon some masala and spread it. Layer the fish and spoon again some masala and cover the fish with the masala. Wrap the fish with the banana leaf and tie it with the a string. Make ready all the fish in same process. 

In a pan heat remaining coconut oil and lay the wrapped fish in single layer.

Cover the pan and cook for 5 mins each on both sides over low-medium heat.

Remove, unwrap, squeeze more lemon juice and serve with onion rings, tomato slices and green chillies.