When I set out writing stories on Ishithaa, little did I think I would end up finding someone who would come into my close circle of friends in less than 48 hours after we started talking, it could also be because the only time we kept quiet during those 2 days were when we were sleeping or eating. She is Meena, and ever since we started talking, we haven’t kept quiet, much to my amazement. I am generally awkward in chit chats and long conversations but, these days, it feels like I am rewriting my history!
Coming to the eating part of life, she is a big time foodie, and likes to eat, eat and eat more. So when I asked her to do a guest post for me, she came up with this yummy recipe, cooking courtesy: her very own MasterChef Mr. PhenoMenon.
Over to Meena now,Â
So when DQ  – Go on, ask her what it stands for 😉 – asked me to do a guest post for her  space, I rummaged a bit for ideas. Nothing popped up except a book review – But “Ishithaa” is a space that I have come to identify with stories and a book review just didn’t appeal to me. It was only later in the day, in midst of usual “whats for dinner” whatsapp conversation  that this idea of doing a “recipe” post stuck me – it allured to the foodie in me while the story behind it seemed apt for Ishithaa.
Am a true-blue Mallu who loves her fish – though I have begin to wonder how much of this love is immersed in nostalgia. You see,  the best part of my childhood were the vacations  spent in our ancestral home at  Kerala – and through the summer, a regular on our lunch-dinner plate were fish curry and the yummilicious fish fry. For a city bred kid like me, the entire experience was a delight – From keeping our ears tuned to sounds of “Kooo koooo” that announced the arrival of fishmonger in the neighborhood to the ritualistic cleaning of the fish as the neighborhood cats danced waiting to feast on the stray bits thrown away. Irrespective of how tight the wallet was, everyday through these two months we were treated to these fishy delights :).
Fast-forward to present – am now married to another foodie who loves to cook (luckily for me) and in our kitchen, we have dished up food from across the world. It didn’t though take me long to discover that “fish” wasn’t in his list of favourites. Considering my cooking skills aren’t anything to write home about, my chances of having home cooked fish were based purely on my friends generosity ;).  But am a hard-die optimist – so in hopes of luring him into cooking fish, I keep pushing under his nose different recipes with hardly any luck. At last after almost five years of trying, just last month there was a recipe that caught his fancy! Without wasting any time, yours truly put together all the things needed  – going to the extent of requesting (begging) a street side “pan” shop vendor for banana leaf that was called for in this recipe. Yea, this is not exactly a replacement for the Kerala Fish fry, but heyyy it’s a start right 🙂
So without any more ado, here’s the recipe:
Use de-boned fish fillet. Marinate with salt and lime and keep aside for 30 mins. In the meantime make green chutney – with mint, coriander, coconut and all other usual suspects. Coat the fish fillet with this chutney and wrap it up in Banana leaves. Now steam this (I use idli cooker for steaming) for 10 -1 5 mins and there your steamed fish is ready!
I keep telling her she is a sweetheart, but you know, she is a bit unfair to herself and wouldn’t believe me so soon. Why don’t you head over to her blog and tell her that she truly is a sweetheart.Â
NB: Meen in malayalam means fish 😉
Likes to eat, eat and east huh! I take a bow :-P.
N aaaaw at the first para u wrote……… love u ammus!
Love you tooooo 🙂 🙂
Count me in to those fish lover group. And the first dish I learned to cook and only dish I cook legibly is the typical mallu chilli fish curry.
@Meena…. I really thought you were from North India…
@Bhavya….. What’s DQ? 😀
Sheethal, Meena is a Menon 😛 Typical Mallu brought up in the North…
DQ is… errr…. umm.. Drama Queen.. that’s her pet name for me! What do you think of that? 😉
Hahaha…. Drama Queen…. coool…. it suits you even thou I don’t know much about your persona…. 😉
Loved the description of the stray cats waiting to feast on the bits of fish, Meena.
Nice post. Can’t see the pic though.
Cynthia Rodrigues Manchekar’s latest…The Importance of Routines (Day 4: UBC July 2013)
There was some problem with the pic Cynthia. I think it should be fine now, if you feel like having a peek 🙂
That sounds like a delicious recipe. I am a recent fish convert:) and this looks like a recipe, even I can’t mess up. Now, where do I find leaves to do this, in this country?
Smitha’s latest…How Important is Handwriting?
Yeah, the recipe is pretty simple I was amazed at that. Good luck hunting for those leaves 😀
I love fish! Sounds delicious. How great to have your very own chef! 🙂
Debbie’s latest…THE VACATION
She is one lucky lady Debbie.
At the end u can say that was one”Meen” dish !! 😀
LOL 😀
hhhahaha!! I loved how you made use of the idli stand! I too remember with nostalgic fondness at the picture of the fish seller coming by, cleaning and descaling of the fish, and the neighbourhood cats purring and squalling at the sight, while waiting for some delicacy to be thrown at them!
The cats are an inevitable part of the scene when the fishmonger comes by, seems like it 😛
Ur heading reminded me the line from Kilikam…Suchitra Krishnamoorthy and Mohanlal.. Veche Kozhi de manammmmm..
Thank you for inviting her over Bhavyakutty…I am going to try this recipe over this weekend..
U are an awefum friend..U know that..Give urself a Hug..No wait..Tell Meena to give you one..mere taraf se 😀
Dee, its Revathi 😛 Not Suchitra, but I get the point 😀
Try and do tell us how it came out… would love to get a second opinion on this 🙂
And Meena said she’d give me a hug if only we met 😛 In the meantime, virtual hugs to you too…
This Meen made meen sounds delicious 🙂
shail’s latest…From butterflies to daughters-in-law
I’m waiting to try this out myself 😀
(Meen in Sanskrit mean fish)
Anyway, I don’t have any fancy for fish but the recipe looks fun. Am sure my husband would like it. Great one for a guest post 🙂
Rainbow Hues’s latest…Pass The Rope
Hope your husband likes this when you make it for him 🙂
The recipe looks simple and great. Will share it with the Master chef of our home! 🙂