Karimeen Pollichathu Recipe
The word pollichathu means “roasted in banana leaf.” And that’s exactly how this delicacy is prepared: wrapped in banana leaves with a mix of spices native to its region. The karimeen fish is then cooked to perfection, usually on a houseboat, a riverside cafe, or a home by the paddy fields of Kerala. So how do you prepare karimeen pollichathu at home? Here’s what you need.
Servings Prep Time
4people 10 minutes
Cook Time
10-20minutes
Servings Prep Time
4people 10 minutes
Cook Time
10-20minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Marinate the fish with turmeric, lime juice, Kashmiri red chilli powder, black pepper, and salt for 10 minutes. Heat coconut oil in a pan at medium heat, and then add ginger, onion, garlic, curry leaves, tomatoes, and green chillies.
  2. Step 2: Add vinegar, Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric, black pepper, and salt to the pan and mix nicely. Take another pan and fry the karimeen fish on both sides for 2 minutes each. Keep aside.
  3. Wrap your karimeen fish in a banana leaf, pour the fried masala mix on one side, and top it off with the marinade that was made in Step 1. Make sure all your fish pieces, or whole fishes, are wrapped in banana leaves.
  4. In hot coconut oil over a tawa at medium heat, cook the banana-leaf-wrapped fish packets on both sides for about 10 minutes each. Once you smell the spices and watch the fish leak through the packet in perfect harmony, it’s ready to serve.
  5. Open the packet and serve your karimeen pollichathu with lime juice and onions.
Recipe Notes

Tips: When using whole fish, be sure to make incisions across the fish body with a knife before applying the marinade for maximum infusion of spices. Curry leaves can be added to the oil before frying the karimeen fish to prevent it from sticking to the tawa or pan. If you don’t have access to banana leaves, feel free to use aluminium foil. Choice cuts – Karimeen to you! If you enjoyed reading about the traditional karimeen pollichathu recipe, stay tuned for more. You can always get your choice cuts, cleaned and fresh, from Licious. Whichever way you want to prepare your fish, you’ll get the choicest freshwater and seafood for your perfect cooking.

If you give this recipe a while, we’d love to see it. Tag us on Instagram with #MadeWithLicious.

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 Karimeen Pollichathu Recipe
The word pollichathu means “roasted in banana leaf.” And that’s exactly how this delicacy is prepared: wrapped in banana leaves with a mix of spices native to its region. The karimeen fish is then cooked to perfection, usually on a houseboat, a riverside cafe, or a home by the paddy fields of Kerala. So how do you prepare karimeen pollichathu at home? Here’s what you need.
Karimeen Pollichathu Recipe
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Karimeen Pollichathu, Karimeen Pollichathu recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10-20 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Karimeen Pollichathu, Karimeen Pollichathu recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10-20 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Karimeen Pollichathu Recipe
Instructions
  1. Marinate the fish with turmeric, lime juice, Kashmiri red chilli powder, black pepper, and salt for 10 minutes. Heat coconut oil in a pan at medium heat, and then add ginger, onion, garlic, curry leaves, tomatoes, and green chillies.
  2. Step 2: Add vinegar, Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric, black pepper, and salt to the pan and mix nicely. Take another pan and fry the karimeen fish on both sides for 2 minutes each. Keep aside.
  3. Wrap your karimeen fish in a banana leaf, pour the fried masala mix on one side, and top it off with the marinade that was made in Step 1. Make sure all your fish pieces, or whole fishes, are wrapped in banana leaves.
  4. In hot coconut oil over a tawa at medium heat, cook the banana-leaf-wrapped fish packets on both sides for about 10 minutes each. Once you smell the spices and watch the fish leak through the packet in perfect harmony, it’s ready to serve.
  5. Open the packet and serve your karimeen pollichathu with lime juice and onions.
Recipe Notes

Tips: When using whole fish, be sure to make incisions across the fish body with a knife before applying the marinade for maximum infusion of spices. Curry leaves can be added to the oil before frying the karimeen fish to prevent it from sticking to the tawa or pan. If you don’t have access to banana leaves, feel free to use aluminium foil. Choice cuts - Karimeen to you! If you enjoyed reading about the traditional karimeen pollichathu recipe, stay tuned for more. You can always get your choice cuts, cleaned and fresh, from Licious. Whichever way you want to prepare your fish, you’ll get the choicest freshwater and seafood for your perfect cooking.

If you give this recipe a while, we’d love to see it. Tag us on Instagram with #MadeWithLicious.