DOSA's Chef Anjan Mitra Serves Up Branzino For The Foodie Chap

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - Ever since he left Bombay (now Mumbai) at the age of 18 to study in the U.S., Anjan has always sought to recreate the wonderfully aromatic and complex flavors of his mother's cooking. He spent the first 19 years of his career working in high¬tech. Realizing his true passion lied in hospitality and food, he pursued a new entrepreneurial path as a restaurateur with a cuisine that he believed was under¬represented in the U.S.

Inspired to create and present South Indian cuisine in a new way in San Francisco, Anjan and his wife Emily opened DOSA in December 2005, which rapidly became one of the top restaurants in the Bay Area. Three years later, the husband¬and¬wife duo opened the second location of DOSA in San Francisco in the Fillmore District. The Mitra's were inspired to create a restaurant to pay homage to the rich diversity of Southern India, which they felt was missing in the Bay Area dining scene and create something relevant to the San Francisco culinary scene with the use of local, organic, natural, seasonal & sustainable ingredients.

Chef Anjan Mitra (credit: Foodie Chap/Liam Mayclem)

Together, Anjan and Emily, lead the overall culinary direction of the menu and with a talented team of South Indian Chefs in the kitchen, have created a menu that represents the traditional styles of Southern Indian cooking and spices. Dishes on the menu are inspired by recipes from Anjan's family, as well as the families of their team of chefs. In its eleventh year, DOSA still remains a popular, critically¬acclaimed Bay Area favorite. I have been a DOSA fan since the day the first restaurant opened in The Fillmore and have remained one all these years.

Anjan and I met in the DOSA on Fillmore kitchen recently for our Foodie Chap chat. Anjan made a dish now on the revamped menu "Branzino wrapped in Banana Leaf". The recipe is below and it is super tasty and as with many DOSA dishes if does have a little spicey kick.

Enjoy and see you at DOSA.

Cheers, Liam!

 
DOSA Branzino
w/ Chile & Mint in Banana Leaves

Serving Size - 4 Portions
 
Marinade Ingredients

• (4 pieces) 28-32 Oz Branzino
• ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 4 teaspoon Oil
• 1 pinch Salt to taste

 
Ingredients:

• Oil
• ½ cup - Red Onions diced
• ¼ cup - Tomatoes diced (optional)
• ¼ cup - Ginger-Garlic paste (blended ginger & garlic equal portions)
• ½ teaspoon - Coriander whole
• 1 teaspoon - Cumin whole
• ½ teaspoon - Red chile powder
• 1 teaspoon - Split Urad Dal (Lentils)
• 1 bunch - Cilantro
• ½ bunch - Mint
• 4 Wt ounces - Tamarind pulp (NOT paste)
• 2 sprigs - Curry leaves (destemmed)
• ½ Cup - Coconut milk (optional, to add richness)
• 2-4 pieces - Thai Chiles, sliced (to taste)
• As needed - Filtered water
• 1 teaspoon Lime juice
• To taste - Salt

 
Marinating the Halibut:

• Gently stir oil, turmeric and salt
• Rub it into the fish.
• Let it marinate for about an hour

 
Cooking:

• Heat oil to high temperature. Toast cumin seeds for about 30-60 seconds but do NOT burn it.
• Throughout the initial part of the cooking process till you add the cilantro and mint, stir constantly to ensure nothing burns. If anything starts to burn or stick to the pan add a little water and keep stirring.
• Add coriander seeds. Stir for about 1 minute. Then add diced onions. Saute for about 3-4 mins till lightly brown.
• Add Thai chiles. Cook for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes. Cook for another 2 minutes.
• Add ginger-garlic paste and stir for a few minutes till the raw flavors are no longer present.
• Add lentils, tamarind pulp, red chile powder. Stir for 2 minutes.
• Add coconut milk. (This is optional if you'd like to keep the dish a little lighter). Stir well.
• Add lime juice and water as needed.
• Add mint, cilantro and salt to taste. Add water if necessary. Simmer on a low heat for about 10 minutes allowing the flavors to blend. Stir occasionally if needed.
• Remove from pot. Let it cool and blend well into a thick sauce.
• Soak banana leaves in hot water for 60 seconds to soften. Pat each banana leaf dry. Cut out the rib of the leaf, which will make it difficult to fold.
• Spread a generous portion of the blended chile-cilantro sauce down middle of leaf. Spread 2 tablespoon sauce over fish too. Fold leaves over the fish on all sides and secure with a bamboo toothpick at the end of the long sides.
• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Make 3 more packets in same manner and arrange on a baking tray. Cook for about 6-7 minutes.
• Serve in the banana leaf on a plate, with a side of rice.
• It's best eaten with your hands if you know what you're doing! :-) Otherwise a fork is quite civilized too!

 
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