There are days when we get bored of having the same recipes over and over again and feel like breaking the monotony with something new, something experimental for the palate. Well it was one of those days for me. While picking up my groceries from the supermarket last week I was wondering which vegetables to get so that I can prepare something different. I was pretty bored with the usual brinjals, pumpkins, potatoes and cauliflowers. Suddenly a rack with bunches of neatly tied Kochu Pata or Colocasia Leaves caught my attention.

Colocasia leaves are very common in all parts of Maharashtra and comes very cheap. Its used in a very popular Maharashtrian dish known as Alu Vadi or patra which is Colocasia leaves stuffed with gram flour mixture rolled and deep fried or steamed. I used to see the local village ladies sell the leaves by the road side most of the days on my way back from office but never paid any heed. But that day when I saw the leaves it immediately reminded me of a recipe I read in a blog. By chance I had come upon Purabi Naha's blog Cosmopolitan Currymania.


She had a recipe of Colocasia leaf wrapped paneer roll in her blog which had really piqued my interest. If we could make a paneer paturi with these leaves why not try to make the traditional fish paturi with them? So I immediately got those leaves bagged and tagged. The tag read RS.6. There were in total 6 leaves which meant it was 1 rupee a leaf which was quite cheap considering a supermarket standard. Later also I had got 2 bunches of these leaves at Rs.10 only!

Now the next thing was I didnt have a proper fish which was suitable for traditional paturi - no Ilish, Koi or Bhetki. All I had was Rohu. What the heck I thought, anyway I was making an experimental dish so why not be experimental with the fish as well? So Rohu and Colocasia leaves it was for my Macher Paturi. Now let me clarify I like the simple jeera bata (cumin paste) paturi much much more than the one prepared with mustard paste. Much lighter on the stomach and very healthy. Also much more flavorful than the musrard paste one.You can check out my Koi Macher Paturi (Climbing Perch Wrap) also.

This dish was made in the exact same way as the Koi macher paturi.


Due to the presence of Calcium Oxalate in the Colocasia leaves it can cause an itching sensation if ever had uncooked similar to the usual Taro. So make sure you properly steam ir fry it before eating.



Once I tasted them I knew I have hit a jackpot!Who would have thought that Colosia leaves paturi can taste so interesting. It made me forget my sorrow of not getting Lau shak in this part of the country. These nice and fresh green Colosia leaves would come to my rescue everytime I craved for macher paturi.My wholehearted thanks to Purabi for inspiring me to experiment.
Now the recipe:

Preparation Time: 20 minutes  

Cooking Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 2

• Rui Mach (Rohu )- 4 pieces (peti)
• Tender Kochu Pata (Colocasia leaves) -  2 Big leaves 
• Fresh Jeera Paste (Cumin Paste) -  4 tbsp
• Green Chilli - 4 (withing the paturi) + 1 (in Jeera Paste)
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Mustard oil - 3 tsp

Koi Macher Paturi

After almost half a year I am back to Kolkata for a vacation. It feels so much good. No office deadlines, no waking up early, no cooking dinner or doing the dishes, only having pure rest and lot's of food. Kolkata means dedar adda and jomie bhuribhojon. The mecca of Rasta food (Street food) Kolkata never disappoints me in its lip smacking egg chicken rolls, tangy fuchkas and spicy jhalmuris. But above all I look forward to indulge in myriad delectable fish preparations on each day of my stay. In the first week of my stay at my in-laws home my father-in-law made sure that we had a different type of fish everyday knowing well my love for it. In the following week my mom is making sure the same trend continues. Everyday there is a baina (request) from me and she happily obliges every time. i had a craving for Koi paturi from long so ma decided to make it today.

Paturi is a cooking process in which raw fish slathered in spice paste is wrapped in a particular kind of leaf and steamed together. Usually if you search on net the only paturi that you would come across is fish in mustard-poppy paste and wrapped in banana leaves, which is more of a Ghoti Cuisine. But the Bangal way of making a paturi has some variations. Koi paturi is made by wrapping the fish (smeared in Jeera paste) in a lau pata (Bottle gourd leaves). My maternal forefathers belonged to Faridpur in Bangladesh. This recipe of  Koi Paturi has been handed down through generations in our family and it still much in vogue.

My Dadu (grandpa) was a connoisseur of Traditional Bengali cooking. He knew his food well and loved everything that my Dida (grandma) made.  During Holidays when me and my cousin visited Dadur Bari, Dadu used to literally stuff us with so much food that it would usually lead to a tummy upset but yet he would never let us miss the pathar mangsho, Bhaja illish and Koi paturi. Food would be cooked in huge pots and pans and the entire family of 9 people would sit down together to eat. It was no less than a big picnic everyday during lunch and dinner. As the lids were taken off the amazing aromas would simply captivate us.Gone are those days of big family luncheon, but the recipes are still much alive within our family.

Note: The Koi I am referring to here is not to be confused with its Japanese namesake.

The first and most important step towards making this piquant recipe is getting the right kind of fish and leaves to wrap. The fishes should be as fresh as they can be and the lau pata needs to be tender enough.

Fresh Produce

Here is the secret recipe from our Kitchen.

Preparation Time: 40 minutes (includes cleaning the fish)

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Serves:2


Ingredients: 

• Koi Mach - 4
• Tender Lau Leaves (Bottle gourd leaves) -  8 (2 Big leaves  per fish)
• Fresh Jeera Paste (Cumin Paste) -  4 tbsp
• Green Chilli - 4 (withing the paturi) + 1 (in Jeera Paste)
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Sugar to taste
• Mustard oil - 3 tsp

1. Clean the fish. Make two 2" thin cuts into each side of the fish. This is for the spices to enter into the fish properly.

2. Marinate the fish with turmeric, salt and sugar for 10 minutes

Marinated Koi Mach

Fresh Lau Pata

4. Make a uniform paste of Jeera and 1 green chillies using shil nora or mixer.

Jeera paste

 You can add poppy paste also along with the Jeera Paste. Reduce the amount of Jeera Paste according to the amount of poppy paste that you are adding. In total it should be 4 tbsp. 

5. Smear the Jeera paste on the fishes uniformly. Adjust the salt. Keep it for about 5 mins

6. Drizzle the mustard oil on the fish and mix well

Fishes lathered in spices

7. Take 2 leaves at a time and place one on the other in opposite direction ( Suppose the first leaf tip faces you so when you place the next one it should face away from you.