Sunday, March 25, 2007

Grandma’s Meen Pollichathu : Fish in Banana leaf wraps – A Central Kerala Delicacy

There is only one person whom I miss the most in my life, my grandma whom I call Amma. If the time machine were a reality, then I would rewind and go back to tell her how much she meant to me and how much I loved her! I knew she was a part of me but never realised the depth of the bonding we shared until she left us 4 years ago! I never had a closure, I could not bid farewell to her, I was not there at the time of her death nor at the funeral....and towards the end she had lost her memory too, so I don’t even know if she was aware of my occasional visits to her, whenever I came home during my holidays.....she comes in my dreams and thoughts quite often and at times I miss her a lot..I think about the days I spent with her...my summer holidays... my weekends during my childhood....her image is still crystal clear in my mind; standing in front of the gate anxiously waiting for me to get back from the school ..she used to send her maid to pick me up from the school and accompany me till I reached home safe..and I am sure she enjoyed those days, when both of us waited for the mobile bakery man to buy hot puffs and samosas and some sweets, because her kids, that’s my mother and her siblings never allowed her to eat any sweets coz of her high blood sugar. I learned the basics of bargaining from her; it was a pleasure and a great time pass to watch her bargain with the fish vendors...and at the end of all that intense bargaining, sometimes she offered them a cup of tea or some breakfast occasionally...my exposure to different varieties of fish started there. The root cause of my obsession with cleanliness and organizing traces back to her; she had a spotless kitchen and home and a perfectly pressed and arranged wardrobe. Even at the age of 70s, she wore neatly pressed clothes at home and such thoughts help me neglect my obsession for pressing each and every piece of cloth, including my apron and kitchen towels !! I have great respect for her..she was a strong woman who raised her three kids all alone after losing her partner at a very young age. She was very generous and affectionate too...I wish she had met CJJ before she left us, in which case, he would have been her favourite. My mother is a great cook, nevertheless, at times I tell her some of her preparations don’t even come close to that of Amma’s. She was a fabulous cook...she did not have an oven, but she used to bake cakes with a stove top vessel; she never used to frequent Chinese restaurants but she used to make the best fried rice and ofcourse the authentic kerala dishes and snacks....the days I spent with her are some of the sunken treasures of my life and when I dive into those memories, I get lost somewhere........!!


Grandma was from a quaint little town in Kerala, named Alappuzha or Alleppey which is labeled as the ‘Venice of the east’ because of its breathtaking view of the backwaters and house-boats; it’s a beautiful small town, famous for its network of canals and lagoons, crisscrossing the center of the town as well as boat races and coir products. Mean Pollichathu (Roasted Fish in a Banana leaf Wrap) is a ‘must try’ local delicacy which is generally prepared with a fresh catch of karimeen (Pearl Spots), marinated with various spices and a ground paste of pearl onion/small onions, green chilies, ginger, garlic, tomatoes and coconut milk and then cooked in banana leaf wraps. My grandma’s preparation is slightly different from this widely used recipe and this is my 4th attempt at reproducing her signature dish with certain changes adopted in the cooking method to suit my cooking conditions here in US; grandma used to do this at one shot where as my method consist of three stages. Recipe follows: -


Ingredients (Approx. for the size of fish shown in the picture)

Step 1: - Ingredients for Marinating and roasting the fish:

  • 1 whole fish cleaned, preferably Karimeen (pearl Spots); Pomfret,Tilapia
  • 3 tsp chilli powder
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp pepper powder
  • ¼ tsp ginger paste
  • ¼ tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼ cup coconut oil (or vegetable oil) for frying
Step 2: - Ingredients for the gravy:
  • 1 cup finely chopped red pearl onions/small onions (around 20-22 nos)
  • 1 ¼ tbsp finely chopped ginger
  • 6-8 finely chopped green chillies
  • 1 sprig of curry leaves
  • A pinch of turmeric powder
  • A pinch of chilli powder
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • ¼ cup thick coconut milk
  • Salt to taste
Step 3: - Ingredients:
  • Banana Leaf - big enough to wrap the fish from all the sides.
Directions : Step 1
  1. Make 4-5 slits on the cleaned fish; mix chilli powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder, ginger and garlic paste, lemon juice and salt with 1-2 tsp of water to make a thick paste and marinate the fish evenly on both sides and keep it for atleast 2 hours. The slits made on the fish will help the marinade to penetrate into the fish during this time.
  2. Heat oil in a flat non-stick pan and place the fish, when the oil is steaming hot. Shallow fry the fish at medium heat by flipping each side when it is almost done; do not make it too crispy and do not overcook ; it should be soft and moist as the same fish is cooked again at the final stage. When the fish is done, (at this stage the oil will stop spluttering) transfer it to the gravy on the banana leaf,instructions for which follow.
Directions : Step 2
  1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and sauté the chopped small onions, ginger, green chilies and curry leaves, in low heat, until they are cooked and golden brown in colour and add a pinch of turmeric powder and chilli powder to get a roasted colour. At this stage, add the thick coconut milk (Users of canned coconut milk need to dilute it by adding some water- for eg: 3 tbsp of coconut milk & add 2tbsp water) and salt and mix well to make the gravy; just combine the gravy well and turn off the stove; do not boil/cook it at all.
Directions: Final Step - Cooking in Banana Leaf Wrap
  1. Mildly wilt the fresh and washed banana leaf by keeping it on a low flame; Place it in a large flat non-stick pan; Make a thin bed with half of the gravy and keep the roasted fish and top it with the rest of the gravy. Cover and wrap the fish completely by folding the banana leaf, from all the sides and place a lid on top and let it cook for 10-15 minutes on low flame, until the gravy is thick.
  2. Serve hot with rice. You may wilt one more banana leaf and wrap it again before serving, to make it look like 'banana leaf parcels'.
Verdict & Recommendations!

It is very different from the usual fish preparations like fish curry and fish fry. It is not very spicy but still I suggest reducing the number of green chilies for those who cannot eat hot n spicy type of food at all. And if you are lucky to prepare this with a fresh catch of Karimeen (Pearl Spots), then you will notice an oil coating on the sides of the fish along with the gravy, which is not there in my picture as I used a different fish. Oil coating mainly depends on a fatty fish and also on the freshly squeezed coconut milk. Instead of using one whole fish, the same preparation can be done with fish steak pieces, wrapped individually in banana leaf, to serve for a group. This is one of the most famous central Kerala delicacy that adorns the dining table at the time of guest visits as well as X’mas and Easter lunches.

This post is a tribute to my grandma and hence my contribution for FAHC Campaign and Group Cookbook Project. Hope it meets all the criteria.




Thanks for reading this loooooooong post :)
Shn

No part of the content ( articles, photographs, recipes) of this blog may be reproduced without my written permission.Copyright © 2007-2010 Kitchenmishmash.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.

67 comments:

  1. Beautiful beautiful write up...I loved the memories that this fish brought back for you

    The pics and the presentation were a delight too.
    I have heard a lot about this prep and once when we were visiting Thekkady we had it too. But since I am not used to coconut oil in cooking I was not able to enjoy it that much. I know coconut oil is imp. to kerala cooking and it does bring out certain flavors just like mustard oil does for bengalis.
    But do you think we could use other oil for this ?

    Even we make certain fish wrapped in Banana leafs but not wit so many spices

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  2. Sandeepa, Thanks :) I have edited my post after seeing ur comment. I understand your dislike for coconut oil. I suggest vegetable oil as a substitute....and may be olive oil too. Hey, I would love to see the bengali version of this, dont know if you already posted it earlier!

    Shn

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  3. The presentation is too good!

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  4. Enjoyed reading it, but mmm...you made me cry. :(
    When I was a kid, my grandma would make me special fish curry with very little spices(I couldn't tolerate spices at that time) in a separate manchatti. Things only grandmas can do!

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  5. Shn, a touching write up... it brought back some memories...

    Guess what I made this exact same thing this weekend, and was going to post this over the week. :) I didn't have banana leaves and used foil to wrap it and used Tilapia instead of pomphret... Guess I will wait for a while before posting the recipe.

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  6. WOW! What a recipe. We love fish at our household and I really have to give this recipe a try. Just a question: If we cannot find banana leaves - any other substitutes?

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  7. A touching write up....brought back some memories which left me in tears....
    A nice recipe, I've never tried this but I'm keeping your post as a reference :) lovely presentation as usual, and a pretty picture of Alapuzha! :)

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  8. Nice write-up, Mishmash! Why do some things taste good only when grandmoms make it?
    How do you get the crust on the fish? You haven't listed any flour in the ingredients.

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  9. OMG!! Ajji's recipe,I am drooling!!:))LOVE the photos and the info about tradition.

    Fish looks so so beautiful,I could propose and marry it!;P

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  10. waw ! thats a beautiful presentation!! We had been to the backwaters and on the house-boats on our honey-moon;) It was a great scenic experience. I have visited lots of the locations in kerala. Love the culture,food and place.

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  11. what a touching note shn...beautiful... u made me think more abt my grandma who is so much like urs:) granny's are the best ones isn't it? all u get from them is love, love and more love. u can never comit any mistake acc to them:) i love my granny a lot and miss her so much as she is not at her best health now a days.
    mmm.... sweet memories....
    well...i am a veggie but so cant comment on food:) but my, my!!! what a beautiful presentation. i love that banana leaves. gorgeous shn. i love the way u presnt food...

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  12. what a lovely tribute to your Amma... Grandmothers are the best...they have unconditional love for all their grandchildren..its amazing.
    Fish recipe looks good! though I don't eat fish...the picture looks great.
    btw...would love to see some more of your paintings that you have done recently... :)

    trupti

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  13. Isn't that wonderful about food that just a dish, a recipe or even an ingredient can invoke so many different memories and reaction. It's a wonderful writeup. Thanks for sharing it with us. The meen looks fabulous! also a quick question - can I substitute coconut oil with olive oil?

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  14. great post, and wonderful recipe.

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  15. :( :( :(

    Thanks a lot for your grandmas
    recipe....

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  16. Wow, that sounds like a lot of work for just one fish! I hope you made several! :) But that first picture just looks as if it came out of a magazine! Congratulations!

    Sorry to hear about your Amma. I have one last grandparent left - my mom's mom - and I dread the day I get "the call". She's already 94 so the tension gets worse by the year. Sigh. Life.

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  17. hey Mish..
    a visually appitizing recipe!!! i luv them so much ..it brings the memmories from the past , my grandma's kitchen ..even my Achamma used to make the same fish fry.
    hmmm....enjoy girl!! i am drooling!!

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  18. Don't say thanks to us for reading loooooong post.A special special thanks for writing this..And ur meen pollichathu is super...All my blogger friends troubled me a lot by posting mouthwatering recipes..Haaa 0ne more week to go..

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  19. Nice writeup,Shn...I really miss my ammachi now..And thanks for this recipe...:))

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  20. nice narration ..really made me think of the delicacies my grandma used to make for me when i was a kid..

    I love fish..being typical kottayamkaaran..It is sacreligious not to appreciate a fish dish..

    Terrific snap..already a huge reservoir building up in my mouth!! ;-P

    Hey how much for a parcel!! :-P

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  21. I am really touched with the love and affection shared between your grandma and yourself.... I share the same feelings for my late maternal grandfather and still his memories hold a special place in my life...

    Definitely loved the detailed version of Fish curry..though I dont prepare non-veg I bet its a delight for the fish lovers..

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  22. Brings memories of the bond i had with my maternal grandfather.
    Awesome recipe....Will try it out one day.

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  23. Don't do this to me! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! I miss home. :(

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  24. your grandma would be happy in heaven, you're sharing your lovely memory, her labor of love, and this wonderful recipe! I haven't never seen fish prepared in such a beautiful way!

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  25. Will definitely try ur recipe.
    Long time back, I tried to fry pomfret in the non stick pan. Even though I put lots of oil, still the fish got stuck to the pan. Any remedy for this. Thanks

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  26. Thush, Thanks dear. You can try this as it wont be very spicy :)

    RP, Sorry, I didn't mean to :( I was just pouring out my heart there...

    Sig, thats ok, go ahead and post it :) Infact, I used Tilapia first time when I tried this recipe and found that even such a bland fish like tilapia could taste so good with this recipe !!!

    Meeta,Thanks :)You can use aluminium foil if u dont find banana leaves there, do check out at the local asian or international market, they might have frozen leaves, I used that one, works perfectly well. Do let me know if you like it:)

    Jyothsna,sorry dear, I had no intention of making anyone cry reading my post....but looks like it did evoke some sunken memories in many of you. And thanks for the compliments :)

    Sra,Thanks :) May be we will know the secrets when we all become grandmas ;) There is no need to use any flour in this recipe..and the so-called crust u re referring to is formed when u fry the fish with all that marinade,again no need for flour here, and also when u top the fish with the gravy before closing the banana wrap. Hope this clarifies your doubt!

    Asha, hahahahha.... :) assume that ajji means grandma in kannada right ...Thanks a lot :)

    Sharmi,Awwwwwww...honeymoon at Aleppey backwaters is perfect :) Am sure whoever comes to kerala falls in love with that place!

    Sia, yes dear, u said it...unconditional love and the support they give us even when we do some mischevious stuff ;)) Hope ur granny retains her health! Thanks for all that appreciation dear...:)

    Trupti, hehehe I Wish I had some more paintings to share with you all , atleast the ones I have at my home in Kerala...The thing is ours is a small apartment so I dont have place to frame and hang them...so that thought always pulls me back:( Hey, I know u dont eat fish but I am happy that u re able to appreciate it, U re a very sweet person, Thanks :)

    Mandira, Since I never had a closure, I keep thinking about my grandma and I guess those strong emotions got reflected in the write up too. The only reason I emphasized on coconut oil is because this dish is a kerala speciality and you know how we use coconut oil in our food, but you can deft'ly substitute it with any other oil like vegetable oil or olive oil; Do try and let me know :)

    Bee, Thanks:)

    InjiPennu, thanks :)


    Shilpa,noooo I just made one and shared it with my sweetheart :) I know its a bit of work,but its tasty, so I dont mind taking all that effort once in a while :) Magazine quality picture !! oh..my..my, I am flattered:))) I know how dreadful it can be waiting for "the call"..my prayers for you and your grandma.

    Maneka,ooohhh Thank you :) We may not get that taste again but we can continue their legacy. Hope you try it.

    Kitchenfairy,hehehh....hope you have looooooooots of non veg dishes on easter :) btw, did you get my mail?

    Annita, Thanks...I think I made everyone go back to the childhood days :)

    Mathew, hehehe u make me laugh not just with ur posts but with ur comments too :)) You dont have to pay anything for the parcel, I owe u a good meal, remember ?...for sharing that "ek chidiya anek chidiya link.." :P

    Sushma, join the boat, there are many now thinking of their childhood days and missing grandmas and grandpas...hope they re watching all this ! Thanks dear, glad when you appreciate a non-veg dish :)

    Pravs, Do try...am sure you will like it..even the bland tilapia tastes good with this recipe :)

    Toothlesswink, sorry dear..what are you waiting for...go home this weekend and eat to heart's content :)

    Gattina, I really really wish ur words come true because I always regret that I dint let her know how much she meant to me when she was alive ! And dear, am sure you will like this preparation, so do try :)

    Anonymous, Thanks for leaving your comments . I am not an expert but I think it could be because the fish was not fully roasted when you tried to flip it ...the oil slowly stops spluttering when fish is done...so wait till then before you flip it...but if you wait too longer then it will become crispy too :) Also make sure that you place the fish on the pan only when it is steaming hot...Hope it works out next time you try frying a pomfret. Good luck !

    You guys have a beautiful day!
    Shn

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  27. what a nice story about your grama! the photos are great and the recipe sounds delicious!

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  28. What a nostalgic post. Sorry about your grandma and how you were not there. I know how it feels. When my father's brother passed away and my family didn't let me know 'cause I was away I felt so cheated and so angry that I wasn't there. It is true what you said about 'no closure'.

    Moving on, the fish looks totally grand. I have a meen pollichathu post from last year in my drafts. Haven't seen daylight yet.

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  29. Shn,
    And I would have missed your beautiful, exciting, enlightening, delicious blog... thank heavens we found each other's blog :)) I am bookmarking you as well.

    Thanks for dropping by.

    This is my first of many, many visits.

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  30. hi , very beautiful blog , very nice post , gud presentation , gud pics, almost felt like taking a bite of that fish :)) i recently started blogging and just came across ur blog.... m glad i did :)

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  31. Shn,
    Your write up was really really touching girl. Loved to read each and every line of it and actually visualized it. And Fish presentation is outstanding. Looks very very traditional. Beautiful. Will pass your site to my friends who are non vegetarians. I am sure they will all thank you for this one.

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  32. Adipoli photo! And the recipe looks good..

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  33. Hi Shn,

    This is such a lovely and poignant piece. I loved your sentiment: "the days I spent with her are some of the sunken treasures of my life and when I dive into those memories, I get lost somewhere". You make me think of my own grandmother -- that's how I feel about her too, but I couldn't put it so beautifully into words as you have :) I can empathize with the difficulty of those later years when the memory fades, as the same thing happened to nana. It's painful for the loved ones. You can certainly take comfort in knowing how much joy you gave her; in her heart, she surely carried that :)

    Sending a hug and big thank you for sharing such a beautiful tribute. I hope to try this stunning recipe someday.

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  34. That indeed was a long post..:D.But worth reading every bit of it..Shn..entha edhu..entre vayil vellam vanthu poyi...Anyway planning on a vacation in may...i will satisfy my thirst there..:D.
    But in the mean time will try to find banana leaf here...Thanks for the lovely post.

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  35. i had spent some time in Alappuzha(kuttanad) and loved it. Loved reading ur tribute to ur grandma and will definitely try this recipe.Sometimes it takes a while to realise the passage of someone dear.

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  36. Cinderelly, Thanks :) I suggest you trying this recipe as it is not very spicy and since you like Indian food, you will not find this one very hot :)

    Gini, hmm...its the same situation....I wish to get some closure at least through this post, since I wrote down all the emotions and memories and regrets !!

    Cynthia, A very warm welcome to my blog and hugs tooo :)

    Rahin, Thanks for dropping by and I wish you all the very best ! Welcome to Mishmash! :)

    Seema, awwww...so many compliments!! thanks a lot dear :) It really feels good to hear someone say that they re actually going to refer my page to their friends and I hope they like my recipes :)

    Seena, Thank you and let me welcome you to Mishmash!

    Linda, What I did was just pouring my thoughts and that could be reason it sounded so touching. I really wish ur words are true because I always regret for not telling her how much she meant to me....but those days I dint have that much wisdom :( Hey, hugs to you too and I seriously suggest this recipe, it will not be very spicy at all.

    Mahe, why you want to wait till may, there are lots of shops in Chicago where you get banana leaves...go give it a try :) So busy with shopping and travel preparations, huh ?

    Mallugirl, hmm....you said it right! I have never been to the Kuttanad side, though CJJ's gradma is from there...hope to see that beautiful place sometime! yes, please..do try and let me know....its a nice preparation, even the bland tilapia taste much better with this preparation :)

    Luv
    Shn

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  37. Just one word. WOW!!!! and then there is another SLURP!!! I absolutely loved your presentation. It looks so professional.

    I make the same thing with Tilapia but it doesn't get the traditional taste without banana leaf.

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  38. I had been to cochin last time when I visited India and had this Meen porichathu in a restaurant .. Me and my sister loved this ..and now I see a similar picture here. I have noted the recipe down and as i do not cook NV in my house Iam sending it to my sister. Thanks for the recipe Mishmash and enjoyed reading ur writeup.

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  39. Thanks for your comments Shn! I like this blog and this excellent recipe. Fish is my favorite non-veggie food and I like it in all form..yes raw too..lol! as in Sushi. I will surely try this one out, if I find plantain leaves around. What do you expect from mid-west anyways!

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  40. I am a regular reader of your blog...you are doing a great job with pictures and illustrations..Wanted to post this recipe(karimeen pollichathu)during my summer visit to Kottayam..very well! you got ahead of me!!

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  41. I miss Karimeen...Kerala..Alappuzha(my birth place)...:(...I am held up here this summer and no vacation there..:(

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  42. hi , Wow the pictures of Aleppey are so beautiful !! I am a sindhi married to a mallu from allepy -Anup keeps talking about the place but unfortunatley we still have to go there .. i'm trying my best to learn kerela food its so so diffrent from out style of cooking ..my aim is to prepare onam dishes all on my own the next time... gonna keep coming back to your page .! The fish looks too tempting .. i have to make this for Anup one day !

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  43. Reena, Thanks a LOT :) Yes, I agree with you on the banana leaf part and I want to see your version too :)

    Prema Sundar,I hope you are not confused with Meen Porichathu & Meen Pollichathu. If you re looking for the first one, then just stop with the first stage of cooking, thats is till frying the fish alone...Pollichathu is different from Porichathu. Hope you got the difference:) You re a great sister, btw :)

    Priya, I hope you find the banana leaves...i stay at mid west and we get this one here.

    Bharathy, Thats ok, you go ahead and post your version. Each home has their own styles of cooking and the same dish will be tasting differently :) Btw, Nice to know that you are my reader :)

    Luv
    Shn

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  44. Hi

    I just wanted to check with you..is thre a yellow fish curry (made in coconut and tumeric )from kerela ..can u pls send me the recipe plzzzz...

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  45. just stopped in to say hello and tell you that I loved the write up and thanks for sharing your grandma's recipe.looks delicious.

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  46. Dear Mishmash,

    Good presentation! Looks so yummy,sure gonna try this today.I tired some of ur recipes and all were really good.Thanx for sharing.Started doing cooking experiments after reading ur blogs!!

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  47. The write up was very good...reminds me of my ammachi.Will try out this recipe...thanks

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  48. I made this yesterday and LOVED it! I think next time I will use half the chilies though - it was spicy... :-)

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  49. dear mishmash,
    made this yesterday and it was a super hit. even my kids who normally will do anything to avoid eating fish loved it. the gravy alone was so mouthwatering. a heartfelt thanks to you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
    regards rema

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  50. Hi Mishmash
    I am new to your blog,but undoubtedly a fan of yours now.For the last three daysmy fav pass time is going through your recipies.Today mng I made your stew and it was a hit here.(I finally served it with 3 eggs..)Yummy.Just now completed reading karimeen pollichathu..I am used to the recipie though its slightly different one.Mishmash I have tears in my eyes while I pen this.Some relationships are beyond words..And I must say she is lucky enough to produce grandchildren like you..!!No doubt she was/is great..But I am sure mishmash whenever i try this recipie I will be thinking about her and visualising her waiting for you at gate with clean clothes(I love to imagine white for her.)You have mesmerising, spicy and rich language that suits your recipies.I am so happy to meet you here.I would have lost otherwise..Your blog again reveals the cleanliness and meticulous cook in you which make me think again about your grandma.Good Job and keep it up

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  51. reading ur blog i had the feel that i myself had written it with only slight varison as to the place.my maternal house is at vakathanam in kottayam and i lost my ammachi 10 years back .but she is still here and everywhere with me .now i have two children,a boy and a baby girl but nothing was able to fill that void in me.i tried ur reciepe and it was superb .keep up the good work and be in touch.

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  52. Shn,

    I made this AGAIN yesterday when my family was visiting for a Sunday lunch - and again, it was a huge hit! Thanks so much for your photos, recipes and effort. I love your blog - and recommend it to my brother on plenty occasions. Keep up the good work.

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  53. athey,, ee ilakku pakaram enthelum vere optoin undo..? undel engane??

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  54. Vanitha, Lalitha, Happy to know that you enjoyed the post :)

    Anna, thank a ton for your feedback as well as taking time to let me know your comments :)

    Anon, Thanks:)

    Anjana, Thanks for trying out TWICE :) That was very sweet of you to drop by and key in your comments again.....:)

    Spicyme, dont know how to thank you for your generous words of appreciation.....i wrote this post to get over some sadness and i felt much relieved after jotting down these thoughts...i understand everyone has a similar story to share.....I still miss my grandma !

    Bipu, I wish that pray that you get some closure and solace.....dont know what to say! happy to know that you liked the recipe!

    Anjana, thanks again :)

    Ras, I havent tried substituting the banana leaves but am sure aluminum foil works well as i have seen in some other blogs ...you may miss the subtle aroma from the leaves but still foil is a good alternative:)

    Shn

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  55. This is a beautiful post and a very good write up....It made me think of my grandma too, who also passed away few years back, who was also a great cook....Missing her alot....even i was so close to her, cant imagine how much i miss her....got one fish in fridge, wud love to try this...

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  56. Shn,

    Great work!!!!!!!!!"Hats off to you."

    I should say " a great writer, impressive...."and the receipes looks great ,'ll try some .

    Reminds me all my childhood memories.

    Thanks a lots and keep going ....

    Lee

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  57. More than the recipe, I enjoyed your nostalgic memories. If I could ever write like you I would wrote the same about my grand ma. As I read , i had tears in my eyes. Time machine-------- hmmm I would want lot of things to come back ( no#1 must be to see my dad and mom young again) . Thanks for bringing back those beautiful memories. Your grandma must be very happy with the way you remember her. At the end of the day that all what matters, how we are remembered.

    PS. Recipe, i am gonna try today ;D. Have to hunt for the banana leaves first.

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  58. More than the recipe, I enjoyed your nostalgic memories. If I could ever write like you I would wrote the same about my grand ma. As I read , i had tears in my eyes. Time machine-------- hmmm I would want lot of things to come back ( no#1 must be to see my dad and mom young again) . Thanks for bringing back those beautiful memories. Your grandma must be very happy with the way you remember her. At the end of the day that all what matters, how we are remembered.

    PS. Recipe, i am gonna try today ;D. Have to hunt for the banana leaves first.

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  59. Thanks for bringing back the memmories. I still remember the boat trip from Alleppey to Kainakary

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  60. Hi Shn,

    I know it sounds a little too weird to ask this question, but can I use Salmon fillets with skin for this prep?? Wonder how that will taste? Can you help?

    Thanks,

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  61. I was looking for the recipe for Pollichathu....Wanted to try it out for the first time. Yours was the first blog I searched..And I think I can find everythig I want here.Great Blog..

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  62. one more thing....how do I follow your blog?

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  63. this recipe is awesome.. i tried this and it came excellent.. thanku so much.. really awesome.. thanks.. i heard good comments after cooking this..

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  64. very nice recipe....
    today itself I am going to prepare it.....

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  65. Awesome! Tried it last weekend with pomfret and is a big hit among friends :)

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  66. Awesome recipe ! Tried it last weekend and is a big hit among friends :)

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  67. Great Recipe..I tried it .and it was big hit :)..Thank You!

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