- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1 to 2 small fresh serrano chiles 1/2 cupgrated fresh coconut or unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 1 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh lime or lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
- 6 untreated fresh or thawed frozen banana leaves or large Swiss chard leaves
- six 5-ounce pieces salmon or haddock fillet with skin
- Mince garlic and, wearing protective gloves, mince serranos. In a blender purée all sauce ingredients until smooth.
- If using banana leaves, cut away ribs and in a large bowl of hot water soften leaves 1 minute to help keep them from splitting. Cut six 8-inch squares from leaves. On a work surface arrange 1 leaf square and pat dry. Spread 1 teaspoon herb sauce down middle of square to equal length of a piece of fish and arrange piece, skin side down, on sauce. Spread 1 tablespoon sauce over piece. Fold top and bottom edges of leaf over piece and fold sides of leaf over piece, enclosing it. Arrange packet, seam sides down, in a bamboo steamer or on a large steamer rack. Make 5 more packets in same manner and arrange in steamer or on rack.
- Steam packets over boiling water, covered, until fish is just cooked through, about 8 minutes. Serve fish immediately.