Baked Goan Fish with Fresh Green Chile Chutney

This is a great way of cooking a whole fish. It’s flavored with a fresh green chutney, wrapped in foil, and baked. Start with a cleaned whole firm-fleshed fish, about two pounds, preferably with the head on (it’s more attractive, and also helps keep the stuffing inside). In Goa we ate small kingfish prepared this way. We make it with pickerel or with red snapper (the pink skin is always so beautiful next to green herbs).

Make up a quick batch of the chutney, then cut a slit along ei