For a long time I was trying to find out this recipe and personally see somebody cooking this chettinad special delicacy. Last week I was in chettinad and the lady cook( Akka) in our home was quite free to cook and show me this wonderful gravy. After cooking I served this vegetarian fish in my daughter’s plate and she could'nt find out till she swallowed one piece that it was not real fish. First she had the rice with the gravy and at that time she never found out. They steam the masala with which they make the fish in a leaf called lejjai ketta keerai (shameless leaf).It is a crotons type plant which is found in chettinad and I guess almost in all places in tamilnadu. They keep a small stick like pattai from plantain plant in the centre to get the centre hole in the fish. The veins in the leaf give the look of the thorns in the fish. I have clearly shown everything in the snap. They make the masal, steam it in the idly pot, cut into pieces, fry it, make the gravy exactly like fish curry and add the fried pieces.
Ingredients to make the masala for making fish
Thatta payar (cow peas)-1 cup
Chili powder-1 teaspoon
Garlic-5 pods
Fennel seeds-1 teaspoon

salt-1 teaspoon
Rotate the payaru one time in the mixie to break it and soak it for 1 hour. Coarsely grind the soaked peas along with the other ingredients. As we cannot get this leaf everywhere we have to find out some other means to steam it in the shape of the fish. I guess we can use plantain leaf and a small stick in the centre. Spread the mixture on to the leaf. Keep the stick in the centre and fold it. Carefully steam it. Once it is cold, remove the leaf, carefully pull out the stick and cut into pieces like fish. Fry the pieces in the oil and keep aside. Now we have to make the gravy exactly like karakuzhambu or fish curry