Patra ni Machhiપાત્રા ની માછી

Name: Patra ni Machhi
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Parsi
Ingredients: 1 large bunch (about 60 g) fresh coriander leaves and tender stems; ¼ cup fresh mint leaves; ½ cup fresh grated coconut (or desiccated, soaked); 3–4 green chilies (adjust to taste); 4 garlic cloves; 2 tbsp lime juice; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp sugar; 1 tsp salt; 4 portions (about 150 g each) pomfret, basa, or sea bass fillets; 4 large pieces banana leaves, softened briefly over flame

⏱ Prep 20m🍳 Cook 20m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Non-veg

Video: Get Curried (YouTube)

Patra ni Machhi is Parsi cuisine's most elegant celebration dish — fresh fish smothered in a vivid green coconut-and-herb chutney, wrapped in banana leaves, and steamed until the perfumed leaves and tangy chutney meld into the fish. The name is Gujarati: patra (leaf) ni (of the) machhi (fish). Served at every Parsi wedding and navjote, it is as festive as it is deceptively simple to prepare, with the chutney doing all the real work.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

Finding Desi spots near Plano…

Ingredients

For the green chutney
▪fresh coriander leaves and tender stems1 large bunch (about 60 g)
▪fresh mint leaves¼ cup
▪fresh grated coconut (or desiccated, soaked)½ cup
▪green chilies (adjust to taste)3–4
▪garlic cloves4
▪lime juice2 tbsp
▪cumin seeds1 tsp
▪sugar1 tsp
▪salt1 tsp
For the fish
▪pomfret, basa, or sea bass fillets4 portions (about 150 g each)
▪banana leaves, softened briefly over flame4 large pieces
▪kitchen twine or toothpicksfor securing

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Fresh banana leaves are sold in South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Latin grocery stores, often frozen. Thaw completely before using. If unavailable, wrap the fish tightly in foil instead — you lose the leaf's fragrance and char, but the chutney-steamed fish is still excellent.
Pomfret is the authentic choice and can be found frozen in South Asian fishmongers abroad. Basa, sea bass, tilapia, or thick-cut salmon fillets all work well — avoid very delicate fish that will fall apart during steaming.
Desiccated coconut soaked in warm water for 20 minutes blends into a serviceable substitute for fresh grated coconut when the latter isn't available.

Method

1Make the chutney: blend coriander, mint, coconut, green chilies, garlic, lime juice, cumin, sugar, and salt together with 2–3 tbsp water into a thick, vibrant green paste. Taste — it should be bright, gently sweet, sharp with lime, and punchy with chili. Adjust lime and salt.
2Pat the fish fillets dry. Make 2–3 diagonal cuts on each fillet if using whole fish. Coat both sides generously with the chutney, pressing it into the cuts. Reserve 2 tbsp of chutney.
3Pass the banana leaves briefly over an open flame or hold above a gas burner for 10–15 seconds per side until they turn bright green and become pliable without tearing.
4Place one banana leaf with the shiny side down. Place a chutney-coated fish portion in the centre. Add a teaspoon of the reserved chutney on top. Fold the sides of the leaf over the fish to create a neat parcel and secure with twine or toothpicks.
5Arrange the parcels in a steamer basket over briskly boiling water. Cover tightly and steam for 12–15 minutes for fillets, or 18–20 minutes for thicker whole fish portions, until the fish is just cooked through and the banana leaf is fragrant and slightly charred at the folds.
6Serve the parcels directly on the plate, letting each guest unwrap their own — the moment the leaf opens releases a cloud of herby, coconut-lime steam that is half the pleasure.
7Accompany with steamed basmati rice or pav (soft bread rolls) to soak up any chutney that pools in the leaf.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.