MEEN PATHIRI

Meen Pathiri

Ingredients

For the Rice Rotis or pathiri.
Ponni rice- 3 cups soaked for atleast 3- 4 hrs and drainedGrated coconut - of 1 coconutPerumjeerakam - 1 tspJeerakam - 1 tsp Small onions (cheriya ulli)- 9-10 or a handful slit into 2Cardomom- 2Cinnamon stick- 1 piece of 1 and ½ inch longCloves- 2Salt to tasteRice powder- as reqd Optional 

Preparation

Grind the ponni rice with all other ingredients and make it like a thick and rough dough by adding very little water. If the water gets more and to get the right consistency, add the rice powder and knead it to the right consistency.

Ingredients

For the Fish masala.
Kingfish- 3/4 kgRed chilly powder- 2 tspTurmeric powder- 1/2 tspOnions- 3 big sliced thinlyGinger- garlic paste- 2 tspGreen chillies- 3-4 slitCurry leaves- as reqdCoriander leaves- as reqdSalt to taste.
For the coconut paste.
Grated coconut-1/2 of one small coconutPerumjeerakam-1/2 tspRed chilly powder- 2 tspTurmeric powder- 1/2 tspCoriander powder- 2 tbspGaram Masaala powder- 1tspCurry leaves- 3-4Oil- 1 tbsp

Preparation

Heat a pan, add oil and roast the grated coconut till brown in colour.Now add to it all other ingrediends mentioned under the heading “for the coconut paste” and mix well till the raw smell goes. Let it cool.Now, Grind the coconut very very finely into a paste mixing 1/4 cup of water.Keep aside.
Marinate the fish peices with the red chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt.Now, fry this fish pieces till brown in colour.Do not overcook.Now, slowly remove the skin of the fish from the sides.Keep aside.
Now, in the same oil where we fried the fish, add onions and fry it till brown.To this add all other ingredients and saute with each addition of the ingredients...To this add the coconut paste.Now, check the salt of the masala… To this,spread the fish all over the pan and let it cook for sometime till all the water evaporates and turns to more of a paste texture..Occasionally give it a slight stir by spreading the masala over the fish.Keep aside.

 Making of meen pathiri

Take 2 square pieces (approximately the width of 1 and half size of ur palm) of Foil paper (better if u get plantain leaf) and grease the foils with some oil..Now, make 2 orange sized balls of the rice dough and place it on each of the foil and press those balls with the palm of ur hand and make it into a medium thin disc shape of even thickness.Now, spread the prepared masala on one of the discs and place a piece of fish in the centre of the disc.Now, take the second disc along with the foil and place it above the first stuffed disc carefully and press the sides and seal it properly.Remove the upper foil carefully.Now, in a steamer, place the meen pathil along wid its foil and steam it for atleast 20 minutes or till done and immediately remove them from the steamer.