Maache’r Paturi

SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 45 MINS // COOK 20 MINS (PLUS FERMENTING)

“This recipe is very traditional Bengali,” says Ahana Dutt. “It’s normally just a piece of fish coated in a coconut and green-chilli mustard paste, and wrapped in banana leaf. I’ve done a modern take.” Start this recipe 3 days ahead to make the green-peppercorn mustard.

200 gm frozen shredded fresh coconut (see note) 4 x 200-250gm skinless Murray cod or pearl perch fillets

4 banana leaves, large

enough to wrap the fish 50 ml mustard oil

GREEN-PEPPERCORN MUSTARD 100 gm black or brown

mustard seeds

100 gm yellow mustard seeds 1½ tbsp green peppercorns,

rinsed, drained

1 tbsp raw sugar

1¼ tsp salt

100 ml verjus

1 tbsp buttermilk

SALTED CHILLI

50 gm green birdseye chillies,

trimmed

¼ tsp salt (2% of the chillies by weight)

CORIANDER OIL

2 bunches coriander,

leaves picked

200 ml neutral oil, such as

grapeseed oil 1 For the green-peppercorn mustard, soak mustard seeds and peppercorns in a bowl of water overnight. The next day, strain and rinse under cold water, then drain well. Transfer to a high-powered blender. Add sugar, salt and verjus, and blend to a smooth paste (1 minute).

Stir in the buttermilk. Transfer to a sterilised jar, cover loosely with a piece of muslin and set aside at room temperature for 2 days (see note). Makes 3 cups. 2 For the salted chilli, pound the chillies and salt with a mortar and pestle (or blitz in a small food processor or spice grinder) to a smooth paste. Set aside.

3 Blend coconut and 400ml water until smooth. Strain through a nut milk filter bag or muslin into a bowl, gently squeezing until all the liquid is extracted. Refrigerate until needed (discard coconut flesh). 4 For the coriander oil, blend the coriander and oil in a highpowered blender until very smooth (6-8 minutes). Strain through muslin or a coffee filter. (The leaves should form a paste that you can compost; the oil should be bright green.)

5 Cut banana leaves, if necessary, into pieces large enough to wrap fish. Coat both sides of fish with 1½ tbsp green-peppercorn mustard.

Top each with 1 tsp salted chilli. Place fish on dull side of banana leaf and wrap into a parcel (see note), securing with kitchen string. Heat a lidded barbecue or chargrill pan over medium-high heat and brush each parcel with

½ tsp mustard oil. Cook 2 fish parcels (2 minutes), then close barbecue lid or cover pan with a large, heatproof metal bowl and continue cooking (4 minutes). Remove lid, flip parcels and cook (2-3 minutes). Repeat with remaining parcels. Set aside to rest (1 minute).

6 Season coconut milk with salt. Open parcels and carefully transfer to serving bowls.

Drizzle over coconut milk, coriander oil and remaining mustard oil to serve.

Note Frozen fresh coconut is available from Asian supermarkets. Make sure all utensils used are very clean to avoid cross-contamination. Do not use an air-lock seal on the jar for fermenting the green-peppercorn mustard.

Any extra mustard can be fermented at room temperature for another 5-7 days; after that it should be refrigerated. To make wrapping easier, hold the banana leaves over a gas flame to soften and become more flexible.

“Ahana is the Firedoor linchpin, keeping the kitchen gently humming with her level-headed approach and innate ability to keep cool under pressure,” says Firedoor co-owner and head chef Lennox Hastie.