Maachha Patropoda (Baked Fish in Banana Leaf)

Machcha Patropoda is a traditional cuisine of Odisha. The fish is marinated with a freshly ground masala and wrapped in banana leaf and cooked for a few minutes till it’s soft and tender.

Ingredients for the masala: 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 2-3 whole dry red chillies.

Ingredients for main preparation: 1 Whole fish of your preference, 2 tsp masala, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp chopped green chillies, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 7 curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves, 1 sliced onion, 1 Tbsp mustard oil

For the masala:

1. In a grinder put ginger, cumin seeds, garlic, mustard seeds and whole red chillies together.
2. Blend it to a smooth paste.

For the main preparation:

1. Clean the fish of your preference and cut into small pieces. Mostly, Hilsa fish tastes great when cooked this way.
2. Add the ground masala to the fish pieces along with green chillies, turmeric, curry leaves, coriander leaves, onions, mustard oil and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well and leave this to marinate.
3. Place the marinated fish in a banana leaf and wrap it and tie up the leaf packet with a thread.
4. Then place the sealed banana into coal stove for 15-20 minutes and serve hot.

Tips: If you don’t have coal stove then you can simply keep the leaf packets of fish on a pan or tawaa.