Odiya delicacy- macha patrapoda(fish baked in banana leaves)

MACHA PATRAPODA(FISH BAKED IN BANANA LEAF)

This recipe is just not a recipe for me but a rememberance of my grandmother's love and affection and how she use to feed us. So this recipe is for my Aai or mother's mother or as we all say nani maa.

So before giving you the recipe let me tell you how this recipe got evolved in my grandmother's kitchen.

STORY BEHIND MY NANI'S RECIPE

So, when she was young they had to cook in a chulha or using wood logs inserted inside a clay   hand made stwere not available. So while she was cooking the fish fell down and got nowadays what we call as grilled or barbecued but for them  was burnt. And she was  what she would do about it so what she did to get rid of the charcoal smell she used the banana leaves covered it and then cooked the fish for around some minutes and then her signature dish arrived and the recipe got passed on from one generation to another. 

But when it came to me I was little confused that how can I make it as  I dont have chulha neither woods neither coals so I used my method and here I present you my version of MACHA PATRAPODA.

So, let's get started

INGREDIENTS

Fish-1/2kg(rohu,hilsa)

Mustard paste- 4 tablespoons 

Turmeric-1.5 tablespoons 

Red chili powder-as per your requirement

Coriander powder-1 spoon

Salt- as per your taste

Use mustard oil just one spoon for marinating and half spoon for making the masala

Tomato-1

Onion 2 of medium size 

Kaddi patta or Curry leaves

 

And lastly the leaves of banana plant as the dish would be incomplete without patra or leaves.

(Yes there is another secret spice which I ll let you know in the last so don't forget to read till the end)

PROCEDURE

So first and foremost marinate the fish for around 1 hour ( use mustard paste,salt,turmeric powder and little bit of mustard oil ) 

Then while the fish gets marinated cut the tomatoes chilli and the onions and fry them with 1/2 tablespoon of oil

So for making this masala start by pouring 1/2 spoon of oil into the kadai which would have got heated up and then use cumin seeds, kaddi patta and turmeric as they splutter put the sliced onion,tomatoes and chilli and saute them for 1 minute by lowering the heat of the gas to medium then put some secret masala  and in another 2 minutes your masala is ready.

After this the banana leaves or as we say in odia Patra needs to get warmed up a bit in the gas oven and then needs to be cleaned . (The leaves are warmed up so that they don't get torn while being used.)

Once all these procedures get over put the marinated fish inside the banana leaf and the masala that we made and then tie it up with some jute strands or simple dhaaga as we say and put it on the frying pan that we use to make rotis because the taste of the fish comes the best in the iron tawa or pan. 

Then give 10 minutes time each side to get baked up on both the sides and then remove it from the pan and keep it aisde in the enclosed leave for another 10 minutes.

Then what make your family serve a scrumptious and healthy meal and bring smile to their face.

SPECIAL NOTE- IT'S BEST SERVED WITH RICE OR PAKHALA(ALL ODIAS CAN KNOW IT OR THE OTHER NAME IS WATER RICE)

 The secret masala is non other than maggi magic masala ☺👐☺☺．

Buy this awesome magic masala from this link and get the product at an awesome price

And folks if you want to also buy the  grilling pan here is the link too. Go and grab it soon as the offer is for limited time.