Barramundi Wrapped in Banana Leaf
Tender Northern Territory barramundi fillets coated in a fragrant Indonesian-style spice paste, wrapped in banana leaves and grilled until smoky and succulent.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 340 kcal
Equipment
- •Food processor or mortar and pestle
- •Barbecue hotplate or cast-iron grill pan
- •Tongs
- •Toothpicks
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- fat
- 18 g
- carbs
- 6 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 38 g
- calories
- 340 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Blend the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, chillies, ginger, turmeric, coconut cream, lime juice, and salt into a smooth spice paste.
- 2
Pass the banana leaf sheets briefly over an open flame or pour boiling water over them until pliable.
- 3
Lay two softened banana leaf sheets overlapping on a flat board to form a sturdy parcel base.
- 4
Place one barramundi fillet in the centre of each leaf base.
- 5
Spread a quarter of the spice paste over both sides of the fish fillet.
- 6
Scatter the finely shredded makrut lime leaves over the coated fillet.
- 7
Fold the top and bottom leaf edges tightly over the fish, then fold the sides inward to make a neat rectangular parcel.
- 8
Fasten both ends securely with wooden toothpicks.
- 9
Repeat the process to make four tightly sealed parcels.
- 10
Preheat a barbecue hotplate or heavy grill pan to medium heat.
- 11
Grill the parcels for 6 to 8 minutes on each side until the banana leaves are charred and smoky.
- 12
Rest the parcels for 3 minutes off the heat before opening and serving warm.
Chef's tips
Softening banana leaves makes them flexible and prevents cracking while folding. Keep the barbecue heat at medium so the spice paste cooks through without scorching the wrapper too quickly.
Ingredient substitutions
- banana leaves → baking paper wrapped with an outer layer of foil
- barramundi fillets → snapper or blue eye trevalla fillets
Storage
Store leftover cooked parcels in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat wrapped parcels in a preheated oven at 170°C for 10 minutes until heated through.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Skipping the leaf softening step, which causes the banana leaf to snap when folded.
- •Cooking over excessive direct flame, which burns the leaf before the fish centre cooks.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Barramundi Wrapped in Banana Leaf?
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