Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Shobha's Baked Fish In Green Masala

January 31, 2025 12:49 IST

Rajesh Karkera presents his late mother Shobha Karkera's recipe for Baked Fish In Green Masala.

"This is a simple yet satisfying baked fish recipe by my mom. Eating fish, especially in fried form, is what everyone loved in our household. Till mom decided that it was time to find a healthier choice to have with all the rice that we South Indians love to eat."

Baked Surmai in Banana Leaf

All photograph: Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com

"Here is a foodie photo essay from 2014, that I shot when mom was making this baked surmai or king fish in green masala for friends visiting from Delhi."

Shobha, who passed away from cancer in November 2020, was lively, feisty and a person of many parts -- she worked in a bank while bringing up two children on her own after her husband died very early, she loved to cook and eat, she travelled extensively post-retirement and she was very fond of saris, collecting them and wearing them well.

Shobha's Fish Baked In Green Masala

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients.

Method In Pictures

Spring Onion Tops

King fish Slices

 

Heat the banana leaves

Baked Fish in Green Masala

Baked fish

Wrapping the fish

Wrapping the baked fish

Wrapping the fish

And finally, tie it up using the spring onion stalks.

The spring onion greens need to be nice and fresh, or else they will break and the banana wrapping will open and that will destroy the final flavour of the dish.

Baked Fish Recipe

Baked fish in green masala recipe

Baked fish in green masala

Baked Fish in Green Masala

And for those who do not eat rice, it pairs well with chapatis and a lightly-cooked vegetable on the side too!

Rajesh's Note: Many use mint for making the green masala. But then the taste of the fish becomes completely minty. When we make this recipe at home, we avoid mint, unless we crave it on a particular day.

Shobha Karkera

Shobha Karkera was an excellent cook.

 
RAJESH KARKERA