Working my way through the Fall 2011 titles I have not yet covered, there was Feeding the Dragon 'a culinary travelogue through China with recipes' (Andrews McMeel Publishing) by siblings Mary Kate and Nathan Tate.
The start of the Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) celebrations give me a perfect opportunity to share a couple of the book's recipes.
Today we head to Yunnan province.
Dai Banana Leaf Fish
Peeking out from below the rickshaw canopy, I see a blur of reds and yellows and shades of green—
hibiscus and orchids, palm trees and flowers I’ve never seen before. The road is lined with tall banana
trees heavy with their fruit, and below, the Mekong River rushes by on its way to the South China Sea.
Yunnan banana trees, the tallest variety in the world, are plentiful in Xishuangbanna, and Dai cooks make use of their large leaves by wrapping them around everything from fish fillets to mushrooms to pig brains.
They stuff the packets full of fresh herbs like mint or cilantro and then grill them over hot coals. The
leaves seal in the juices and insulate the contents from the heat of the grill. If banana leaves are available in your area (they can usually be found frozen at Asian or Latin grocery stores), wrap each of these fish fillets in a leaf and bake in the oven to create a succulent, tasty fish. Served right in the leaves, the fillets look undeniably cool. Otherwise, wrap the fish in aluminum foil for similar results.
This goes great with Pineapple Rice.
Serves 4
3 fresh small red chiles, seeded and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup white wine
4 (6-ounce) fillets white fish, such as tilapia or halibut
4 banana leaves or 12-inch pieces heavy-duty aluminum foil
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Use a mortar and pestle to mash the chiles, garlic, ginger, salt, cilantro, and basil into a chunky paste. Whisk in the oil and wine until blended well.
Place a fish fillet to the right of center on a banana leaf or a piece of foil. Place one-quarter of the cilantro paste on the fish and smear it around so the fish is covered. Fold the left side of the banana leaf or foil in half over the fish. Fold each of the three open sides inward several times to make a packet with a tight seal. If you’re using a banana leaf, use toothpicks to secure the folded edges.
Place the packets seam side up on a baking pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the fish is white and cooked through.
Serve right in the banana leaf (or on a fresh one),or remove the fish from the foil and place on a plate with all the juices.
(*From Feeding the Dragon: A Culinary Travelogue Through China with Recipes by Nate and Mary
Kate Tate/Andrews McMeel Publishing, Fall 2011, all rights reserved)
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