MyJikoni
Sign in
← Back
Cook
Ikan Bakar: Indonesian and Malaysian Charcoal Grilled Fish

Ikan Bakar: Indonesian and Malaysian Charcoal Grilled Fish

Main CourseIndonesianNon-VegetarianSpicyMedium38 min work · 2.3 h total6

Submitted by Sanjay Patel

Source: www.thespruceeats.com

Ingredients

6 servings
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon belacan
  • 4 shallots (sliced, or 2 small onions)
  • 2 medium onions (sliced)
  • 1 stalk lemongrass (sliced, use only the bottom 3 inches)
  • 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger (sliced fresh or 1/4 tsp ginger powder)
  • 1/2 teaspoon galangal (sliced, fresh)
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 1 tablespoon lime (or lemon juice)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 pound skate (or a fish, such as grouper, which doesn’t flake easily when cooked)
  • kosher salt
  • 8 tablespoons oil (cooking)
  • 4 pieces banana leaves (large)
  • 1 shallot (thinly sliced (or small onion for the dipping sauce))
  • 1 lime (or lemon for the dipping sauce)

Instructions

  1. 1.
    Make the Marinade
  2. 2.
    Gather the ingredients for the marinade. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 450 F.
  3. 3.
    Place chili powder in a small bowl, and add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water to make a thick paste. Set aside.
  4. 4.
    Chop the belacan into small pieces.
  5. 5.
    Place the belacan slices slightly apart from each other on a piece of parchment or foil on a baking sheet.
  6. 6.
    Roast for about 2 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Let it cool down before blending. Note that roasting belacan this way will leave your kitchen smoky and with a strong smell for some time. Leaving the windows and doors open will help to clear out the odors.
  7. 7.
    Place chili paste, roasted belacan, shallots, onion, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric, oil, lime juice, salt, and sugar in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. If it is too dry, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time until the mixture becomes a smooth paste.
  8. 8.
    Preparing the Fish
  9. 9.
    Gather the ingredients for the fish.
  10. 10.
    Cut the fish lengthwise into 1 1/2 inch wide strips.
  11. 11.
    Rinse and pat dry with kitchen or paper towels.
  12. 12.
    Sprinkle each piece generously with salt making sure that they are evenly coated.
  13. 13.
    Place the fish in the marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least two hours to let the marinade do its magic.
  14. 14.
    Grilling the Fish
  15. 15.
    Prepare a medium (350°F to 375°F) gas or charcoal grill fire. Alternatively, use a wok .
  16. 16.
    Clean and oil the grill grates.
  17. 17.
    Line the grill with two layers of banana leaves. If the banana leaves are small, cut a few pieces and layer them. Make sure the leaves are able to sit flat on the grill.
  18. 18.
    Remove the fish from the marinade (discard the marinade). Place the marinated fish side by side on the banana leaves. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of oil over each piece of fish. Grill the fish, turning once or twice so the filets cook evenly, 10 to 15 minutes total. Halfway through grilling, drizzle another 1/2 tablespoon of oil on each filet so the fish doesn't dry out, but gets charred and slightly crisp.
  19. 19.
    The fish is cooked when the flesh separates easily. Use a fork or spoon to test.
  20. 20.
    Mix together the sambal belacan and the shallot. Serve the fish on a fresh piece of banana leaf with the sambal belacan and lime wedges.