Name: Patarasca o Chanti: Colombian Amazon Fish in Banana Leaves
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 4 small whole freshwater fish, about 400–450 g each after scaling, gutting and cleaning; 2 garlic cloves, one crushed and one finely chopped; 3 g ground achiote; 6 g fine salt, divided; 1 g ground black pepper; 1 medium red sweet pepper, about 150 g, thinly sliced; 1 medium green sweet pepper, about 150 g, thinly sliced; 2 medium ripe tomatoes, about 300 g, sliced; 1 medium yellow onion, about 150 g, sliced; 4 large banana or bijao leaves, washed, dried and softened; 60 ml water, for the baking dish

Amazonian patarasca fish roasted in banana leaves with red and green pepper, tomato, onion and garlic.

Region Amazonas, Colombian Amazon

Dish Seasoned freshwater fish roasted in banana or bijao leaves

Yield 4 servings

Active time 35 minutes

Cook time 40 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Patarasca o Chanti: Colombian Amazon Fish in Banana Leaves

Freshwater fish seasoned with garlic and achiote, layered with peppers, tomato and onion, then roasted in softened leaves until moist and flaky.

Patarasca o chanti names a leaf-wrapped roasting technique associated with the Colombian Amazon. Fish or meat is seasoned, enclosed in softened leaves and cooked slowly over embers, on a grill or in an oven. This home version uses small whole freshwater fish and a moderate oven, with red and green sweet pepper, tomato, onion, garlic and achiote tucked into each parcel. The leaf traps steam while picking up a gentle roasted aroma.

The measured recipe adapts an eight-person regional preparation to four portions. Sources allow either small whole fish or fillets, and the leaves may be banana or bijao; the exact fish and vegetable proportions vary. Choose a legally sold fish from a reliable seller and avoid species restricted by local conservation rules. A small farmed freshwater fish such as tilapia can be a practical option where it is marketed for food. Ask the fishmonger to scale and gut the fish, remove the gills and clean the cavity; this makes the parcels easier to prepare and serve.

Warm the leaves until flexible before wrapping so they fold without splitting. Season the fish inside and out, then layer aromatics around it rather than packing the cavity tightly. The packets roast in a covered dish with a little water in the dish, not inside the leaves. There is no universal oven time for every fish size, so use the thermometer at the thickest flesh and check that it is opaque and separates easily. Open each parcel carefully: trapped steam escapes as soon as the leaves part.

Ingredients

4 small whole freshwater fish, about 400–450 g each after scaling, gutting and cleaning
2 garlic cloves, one crushed and one finely chopped
3 g ground achiote
6 g fine salt, divided
1 g ground black pepper
1 medium red sweet pepper, about 150 g, thinly sliced
1 medium green sweet pepper, about 150 g, thinly sliced
2 medium ripe tomatoes, about 300 g, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, about 150 g, sliced
4 large banana or bijao leaves, washed, dried and softened
60 ml water, for the baking dish

Method

Heat the oven and prepare the fish Heat the oven to 200°C/390°F. Ask the fishmonger to scale and gut the fish, remove the gills and clean the cavities. At home, check that no viscera remain, rinse only if needed, then dry with clean paper towel. Keep the fish refrigerated while you prepare the seasoning and vegetables, and use a separate board for raw fish.
Season each fish In a small bowl, mix the crushed garlic with achiote, black pepper and about half the salt. Rub the mixture over the outside and inside of each fish, including the cavity. Set them aside in the refrigerator while you slice the vegetables; do not leave raw fish at room temperature.
Soften the leaves Wash the leaves and dry them. Trim only the stiff central rib if it prevents folding. Warm each leaf briefly in a dry skillet, turning it, until it becomes pliable and its surface looks glossy. Do not char it or use a leaf that is torn through the center; overlap pieces if one leaf is not wide enough.
Fill and wrap the parcels Lay one large softened leaf flat and place a fish in the center. Add some finely chopped garlic, red and green pepper, tomato and onion in and around the cavity; distribute the rest over the fish. Sprinkle with the remaining salt. Fold the leaf over the fish, overlap the ends to make a closed parcel and tie securely with kitchen string. Repeat for the other fish.
Roast until the fish is done Arrange the parcels seam-side up in a roasting dish. Pour the water into the dish around the parcels, never inside them. Cover the dish loosely with foil if the leaf edges are exposed, then roast until the thickest part of each fish reaches 63°C/145°F and the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork. Check more than one parcel, since whole fish can vary in size; extend the roasting if needed.
Rest, open and serve Let the parcels rest for 5 minutes. Move each to a clean plate and cut the string. Open the leaves away from your face and hands because the steam is hot. Serve the fish with its softened vegetables and juices. Tacacho and ready-to-eat cassava fariña are traditional accompaniments when available; keep any raw-fish platter and utensils away from the cooked food.

Practical guidance

Practical

Practical guidance

Bijao and banana leaves both work as wrappers when they are sold for culinary use. Wash them well, dry them and warm them gently; do not substitute ornamental or unidentified leaves. If a leaf tears, overlap a second piece and tie the parcel snugly. The parcels should be closed enough to hold the juices but should not be packed so tightly that the fish cannot cook evenly. The 60 ml water goes in the roasting dish to reduce scorching; it is not a marinade. Keep raw fish at or below 4°C until cooking, thaw frozen fish in the refrigerator and wash hands, board and knife after preparation. Cook fin fish to 63°C/145°F in the thickest portion. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a shallow covered container and reheat thoroughly; discard fish left at room temperature longer than 2 hours. Fish is the declared allergen. The cassava fariña mentioned for serving must be commercially processed and ready to eat; raw bitter cassava is not a safe substitute.

Final notes

Check each fish: Whole fish vary in thickness; verify 63°C/145°F in the thickest flesh. Open away from the steam: The hot parcel releases steam as soon as the leaf is unfolded.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 4 equal servings
Calories: 300 kcal
Carbohydrate: 19 g
Protein: 47 g
Fat: 5 g
Fibre: 6 g
Sodium: 740 mg

Patarasca o Chanti: Colombian Amazon Fish in Banana Leaves

Ingredients

Ingredients

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

Perico de Bledo: Santander Scrambled Eggs with Greens

Torta de San Pedro: Huila-Tolima Layered Maize Pie

Amazonian Hormigas with Casabe