Name: Patarasca (Amazonas leaf-wrapped fish)
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 6 firm freshwater fish fillets, 180 g each (1.08 kg total), skin removed if desired and pin bones checked; 200 g red sweet pepper, thinly sliced; 200 g green sweet pepper, thinly sliced; 450 g ripe tomatoes, sliced; 300 g yellow onions, thinly sliced; 12 g garlic, finely chopped; 4 g ground annatto (achiote), divided; 11 g fine salt, divided; 2 g black pepper; 6 large banana leaves or bijao leaves, about 35 × 40 cm each, softened over heat and wiped clean; 6 lengths food-safe kitchen twine, about 60 cm each; 900 g cassava (yuca), peeled and cut into 6 cm lengths; 2000 ml water for cooking the cassava; 120 g fariña (toasted cassava meal)

Two leaf-wrapped patarasca parcels, one opened to show grilled fish, served with cassava and fariña.

Region Amazonas, in Colombia's Amazon region

Category Leaf-wrapped grilled freshwater fish with cassava and toasted fariña

Prep time 40 minutes active

Cook time About 35 minutes, with the cassava and fish cooking in parallel

Passive time None

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Patarasca (Amazonas leaf-wrapped fish)

Freshwater fish seasoned with peppers and herbs, wrapped in bijao leaves and grilled

Patarasca is both a dish and a cooking technique from Colombia's Amazon region: seasoned fish is wrapped in a leaf, then roasted over embers or in an oven. The parcel holds the fish's juices while the leaf lends a gentle smoky, vegetal aroma. In Amazonas it is also called chanti, and local versions vary with the fish, leaves and herbs available.

This home recipe follows a documented Amazon-region version with red and green peppers, tomato, onion, garlic and achiote. It uses individual freshwater-fish portions wrapped in banana or bijao leaves, then cooks them on a covered grill or in the oven. The Ministry of Culture inventory also records simpler community preparations and herb-led variations, so this is one practical version rather than a single definitive formula.

Serve each opened parcel with tender cassava and toasted fariña, a coarse toasted cassava meal. Fish species and thickness vary; choose a firm freshwater fish from a reputable seller, check carefully for pin bones, and use a thermometer to confirm that the thickest part is safely cooked.

Ingredients

Fish parcels

6 firm freshwater fish fillets, 180 g each (1.08 kg total), skin removed if desired and pin bones checked
200 g red sweet pepper, thinly sliced
200 g green sweet pepper, thinly sliced
450 g ripe tomatoes, sliced
300 g yellow onions, thinly sliced
12 g garlic, finely chopped
4 g ground annatto (achiote), divided
11 g fine salt, divided
2 g black pepper
6 large banana leaves or bijao leaves, about 35 × 40 cm each, softened over heat and wiped clean
6 lengths food-safe kitchen twine, about 60 cm each

Cassava and fariña

900 g cassava (yuca), peeled and cut into 6 cm lengths
2000 ml water for cooking the cassava
120 g fariña (toasted cassava meal)

Method

Keep the fish cold and start the cassava Keep the fish covered at or below 4°C and separate from ready-to-eat foods. Peel the cassava, cut it into 6 cm lengths and cover with fresh water in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil while you prepare the parcels.
Soften the leaves and season the vegetables Pass each banana or bijao leaf briefly over a gas flame, a warm dry pan or the grill until it bends without cracking; do not scorch it through. Wipe the softened leaves clean and dry. Mix the red and green peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic with half the annatto, half the salt and the black pepper.
Season and wrap the fish Pat the fillets dry and season both sides with the remaining annatto and salt. Set one fillet in the center of each leaf and divide the vegetables among them. Fold the leaves into sealed packets, folding the ends under, then tie each parcel securely with kitchen twine. Keep the packets seam-side up so their juices stay inside.
Simmer the cassava until tender Cook the cassava at a steady simmer for 20–25 minutes, until a knife or skewer passes through the center easily. Drain it and keep it covered while the fish cooks.
Grill or bake the parcels For a grill, arrange the parcels seam-side up over indirect medium embers, cover and cook for 20–25 minutes, turning once halfway through. For an oven, heat it to 200°C, place the parcels on a tray and bake for 20–25 minutes. Open the thickest parcel carefully and check that the fish reaches at least 63°C in its center and flakes easily. If needed, reseal and continue cooking, checking again.
Toast the fariña While the parcels finish, toast the fariña in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring often until fragrant. Take it off the heat before it darkens; toasted cassava meal can scorch quickly.
Rest, serve and store leftovers safely Rest the parcels for 3 minutes. Open them carefully away from your face because hot steam escapes. Serve one parcel with cassava and a spoonful of fariña. Refrigerate cooked fish and cassava in shallow containers within 2 hours at or below 4°C; use within 3–4 days and reheat leftovers once to 74°C.

Practical guidance

Practical

Practical guidance

Choose a firm, mild freshwater fish. Tilapia is widely available and works well; other firm freshwater fillets can be used. Buy fish from a reputable seller, keep it chilled and cook it within 1–2 days. Avoid fish with a sour or ammonia-like smell. Use banana or bijao leaves. Bijao is a regional leaf used for Amazonian leaf-wrapped cooking; banana leaves are a practical substitute when bijao is not sold locally. Warm the leaves only until pliable, then wipe them dry. If a leaf tears, overlap another piece so the parcel still holds its juices. Keep the seasoning inside the parcel. Spread the sliced vegetables over each fillet instead of cooking them first. The enclosed moisture softens the vegetables and seasons the fish as it cooks. Achiote gives a warm color; it should not make the parcel hot or spicy. Seal without crushing the fish. Fold the sides over the filling and tuck the ends underneath before tying. Leave a little room inside for steam. If you use a grill, set the seam upward and keep the parcels over indirect embers rather than directly over the hottest coals. Check the thickest piece, not the leaf. Leaf color and grill timing are not reliable doneness checks. Insert a clean thermometer through the opened leaf into the center of the thickest fish portion. The safe minimum is 63°C; the flesh should also be opaque and separate easily into flakes. Serve cassava and fariña simply. Cassava should be fully tender before draining. Fariña is already toasted cassava meal; warming it briefly in a dry pan brings out its aroma. Keep it separate so diners can sprinkle it over the fish or eat it alongside. Handle the leftovers promptly. Fish is perishable. Refrigerate the fish and cassava in separate shallow containers within 2 hours of cooking. Store at or below 4°C, use within 3–4 days and reheat only the portion you plan to eat until it reaches 74°C.

Final notes

Allergens: Contains fish. Check fariña packaging for additional ingredients or cross-contact statements. Food safety: Keep raw fish at or below 4°C and separate from ready-to-eat foods. Cook the center of each fish portion to at least 63°C. Refrigerate cooked fish and cassava within 2 hours at or below 4°C; use within 3–4 days and reheat once to 74°C.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1 of 6 servings, including cassava and fariña
Calories: 590 kcal
Carbohydrate: 73 g
Protein: 43 g
Fat: 10 g
Fibre: 5 g
Sodium: About 900 mg

Patarasca (Amazonas leaf-wrapped fish)

Ingredients

Fish parcels

Cassava and fariña

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

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