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Patarashca
Patarashca: Amazonian fish wrapped with garlic, sweet pepper and sacha culantro in leaves and grilled
Wrapping fish in leaves and cooking it over embers is how the riverside towns of Loreto and San Martín have always cooked their catch, and in Iquitos patarashca is sold on Belén market grills and in the restaurants along the Malecón. A whole fish or thick fillet is smeared with garlic, ají dulce, tomato, onion, cumin and sacha culantro, folded in large bijao leaves and grilled until the parcel chars and the fish steams in its own juices. When you open it, the flesh is soft and fragrant with herbs. Banana leaves from Asian shops are the best swap for bijao; foil works at a pinch. Too thin a parcel is the usual mistake: the leaves burn through and the fish dries out, so use two layers. Chef's tip: serve it in the opened leaf with boiled plantain or cassava and spoon up every drop of the juices.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the fish
For the seasoning
For wrapping
To serve
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (7)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: If using whole fish, slash each side twice. Rub 4 firm white fish with 2 tbsp lime juice and 1 ½ tsp salt and keep in the fridge while you make the seasoning.
Step 2: Mash 4 garlic cloves, 2 ají dulce or sweet red pepper, ⅔ oz sacha culantro or coriander, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp achiote (annatto) powder and 2 tbsp vegetable oil into a rough green paste.
Step 3: Pass 8 banana or bijao leaves briefly over a gas flame or a hot pan until they turn shiny and supple, so they fold without splitting.
Step 4: Lay two leaves crosswise for each parcel. Put a fish in the middle, spread with the paste, top with 1 red onion and 2 tomatoes, fold the leaves tightly and tie with 4 pieces kitchen string.
Step 5: Grill the parcels over medium coals or in a griddle pan over a medium heat, turning once, until the leaves are charred and the fish inside is opaque and flakes when tested with a knife through the leaf. Alternatively bake at 400°F for about 25 minutes.
22 minStep 6: Rest for 2 minutes, then open at the table and serve with 1 ⅓ lb boiled green plantain or cassava.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does patarashca take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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