At my culinary school in London, I was lucky to make friends from all around the world. Once we decided to cook a meal together after a vacation spent at our respective homes. I made this dish to pay tribute to Rajasthan, the state I come from. I carried fresh kair (a spicy berry) and Rajasthani red chillies back with me for that authentic flavour. The dish is a fantastic amalgamation of pure French technique and Mewari ingredients.

  • Serves

    2

  • Cook Time

    00 h 45 m

Ingredients

  • 2 bhetki fish fillets, 160 gm each
  • 50 ml olive oil
  • 1-2 tbsp coriander leaves and stem, chopped
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 tsp Rajasthani red chili, pounded
  • 1 tsp lime zest
  • 25-30 kair/ker
  • 10-15 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 6-8 garlic cloves
  • 4-5 sundried tomatoes
  • 1 sheet parchment paper
  • Juice of half a lime
  • Salt to taste

Preparation

  1. Heat olive oil in a pan and add garlic. Once the garlic turns light brown, add the pounded chilli and sauté for a few seconds.
  2. Take the pan off the heat and allow it to cool.
  3. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree Celsius.
  4. Clean the fish fillets, dab dry and transfer to a plate.
  5. Rub them thoroughly with the chilli-garlic infused olive oil.
  6. Layer sundried tomatoes, zest, coriander and kair on each fillet. Then, drizzle lime juice and sprinkle salt all over.
  7. Make a bed of cherry tomatoes on one half of the parchment paper, and gently lay the fish fillets on top. If any of the toppings fall off, place them back on.
  8. Top each fillet with half a tablespoon of butter. Fold the other half of the sheet of parchment paper in to cover the fish. Crumple and seal the sides.
  9. Place the parcel on a tray and put it into the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
  10. Once done, take it out of the oven, open the parcel and serve it with its juices intact.
Written by

Urvika Kanoi

Urvika Kanoi is a chef and restaurateur based in Kolkata. She originally wanted a career in Bollywood and enrolled in a filmmaking course at Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore. But she soon realised that her heart was in the kitchen and earned a Diploma de Cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu, London. In Kolkata, Kanoi started her gourmet catering outfit The Food Studio and later co-founded the gastropub Bodega Cantina Y Bar off Park Street. Currently, she is the owner and chef at The Daily, a café dedicated to seasonal and sustainable eating.

See more by Urvika Kanoi