Ingredients Seafood Fish Citrusy Black Cod Roasted in Banana Leaves (Tikin Xic) Be the first to rate & review! Something beautiful happens with protein is smeared with citrusy achiote paste, wrapped in banana leaves, and roasted. The famous Mexican pork dish cochinita pibil is prepared this way, and in the coastal states of Quintana Roo and Yucatán, fish gets the same treatment for a flavorful entrée. Achiote, also called annatto, are yellow-orange seeds that lend sweet, peppery citrus notes to dishes. Along with orange and lime, the bright flavors provide contrast to the tea-like aroma from the banana leaves, which are available at Asian supermarkets. By Javier Cabral Javier Cabral Javier Cabral is a food writer from the barrios of East Los Angeles who has been covering Los Angeles culture and Mexican food for 15 years. He served as a valiant restaurant scout for the late Pulitzer Prize–winning restaurant critic Jonathan Gold at the Los Angeles Times. His first cookbook documenting Guelaguetza's James Beard Award–winning Oaxacan recipes will be out in fall 2019 from Abrams Books. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines and Paola Briseño González Paola Briseño González Paola Briseño González is an avid cook from Puerto Vallarta, México, who wrote her first recipe for a Key lime cookie pie at age six. Her cooking is a reflection of her coastal roots and is fueled by her background in food anthropology and classical culinary training. When she is not organizing food festivals or cooking the perfect soft-scrambled eggs for singer J Balvin as his personal chef, she is the Director of Awards and Culinary Events at the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, a punk rock food writer, and her Old English Sheepdog, Fig. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 1, 2018 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email (Tikin Xic)Something beautiful happens when protein is smeared with citrusy achiote paste, wrapped in banana leaves, and roasted. Cochinita pibil is famously prepared this way, and throughout Quintana Roo and Yucatán, fish gets the same treatment. Tikin xic translates to “dry fish” in Mayan—the dish used to be made with dried fish. Today’s versions are anything but dry, especially when you use fish with a high oil content, like black cod. Photo: Victor Protasio Active Time: 1 hrs 10 mins Total Time: 9 hrs 40 mins Yield: 4 Ingredients 1/4 cup achiote powder (ground annatto) 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 whole cloves 1 teaspoon whole allspice 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 1/3 cup fresh orange juice 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar 4 large garlic cloves 1 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste 4 (1/2-pound) skinless black cod fillets 4 banana leaves 1 lime, thinly sliced Pickled Red Onions 16 (5- to 6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed 2 cups black beans, warmed Directions Stir together achiote powder, cumin seeds, oregano, cloves, allspice, and peppercorns in a small skillet. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer spices to a blender, and process on low speed until coarsely ground, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase speed to high, and process until finely ground, about 40 seconds. Add orange juice, vinegar, garlic, and salt; process until smooth, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels; arrange in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour marinade over fish. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove fish from refrigerator, and bring to room temperature. Using scissors, remove stiff edge of banana leaves, then cut into 14- x 8-inch rectangles. Wipe both sides of banana leaves with a damp kitchen towel to remove any dirt. Using tongs, hold each leaf a few inches over a gas flame, turning leaf often, until softened and aromatic, about 3 minutes. (The leaves will darken as they wilt.) Alternatively, soak the banana leaves in very hot tap water until pliable, about 10 minutes. Wipe off excess marinade from fish; season both sides with additional salt. Place banana leaves, ridged side down, on a flat surface. Place 1 fillet, skin side up, in center of each banana leaf. For each fillet, fold short end of leaf up and over fish, then fold long end up and over to make a small packet around fillet. Arrange packets, seam side down, on a large rimmed baking sheet, and bake in preheated oven until fish is flaky, 15 to 20 minutes. Using scissors, cut banana leaves from fish. Using a spatula, transfer fish to a serving platter. Discard banana leaves. Top fish with lime slices and Pickled Red Onions. Serve with tortillas and black beans. Rate it Print