Thai Pollock Baked in Banana Leaves with a Coconut Sambal by Rachel Green
Ingredients
• 600g Alaska pollock fillets, skin on
• 2 fresh banana leaves for wrapping
• Toothpicks or kebab sticks for fastening, pre-soaked in water
• Thai sticky rice, to serve
For the marinade:
• 2 lemongrass stalks, tough outer leaves discarded and chopped
• 3cm piece of ginger or galangal, peeled and finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves
• 6 small shallots, peeled and chopped
• 3 x red bird’s eye chillies
• 1 large red chilli
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, or the juice
• 3cm piece of turmeric, peeled and chopped or ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• A handful of coriander leaves
• A handful Thai basil (optional)
For the coconut sambal:
• 150g fresh coconut pieces, diced
• 1 red onion, peeled and finely diced
• 1 tsp sugar
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• ½ tbsp soy sauce
• A small handful of coriander
• Fish sauce, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Preheat the BBQ.
2. To make the marinade, place all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Pour into a large metal bowl, add the pollack fillets and cover the bowl and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the coconut sambal by mixing all the ingredients together and seasoning with a little fish sauce and black pepper.
4. Cut the banana leaves into half-length ways and remove the thick central stalk. With the shiny side of the leaf facing downwards, place a quarter of the fish at the end of each leaf and roll up tucking in the sides as you go to make a neat parcel. Secure each parcel with a cocktail or kebab stick. Lay the parcels on the grill and cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes turning halfway through. Remove from the heat and rest the fish for a couple of minutes.
5. To serve, unwrap the fish and serve with the sticky rice and the coconut sambal.