Ikan Bakar - Grilled fish with chili paste
“Ikan Bakar” is Malaysian grilled fish. Fish or seafood is marinated with spices, sambal belacan and then grill. Sometimes a banana leaf is inserted between the seafood and hotplate, banana leaf release great aroma after getting heat from the hotplate and seafood. Some of the popular forms of seafood besides fish include squid and stingray.
Ikan Bakar - Grilled fish with chili paste
Ingredients:
- 400 – 450g fish (any fish or fish fillets, wash and clean)
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 piece banana leaf enough to fit the fish, wash and clean (substitute with foil if can't get banana leaf)
- 1 lime (cut into half)
Chili Paste Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons coconut milk
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 1 cm ginger, chopped
- 1 stalk lemon grass, white part only, sliced
- 2 red chilies, remove seed and chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon brown sugar
Steps:
- Blend all chili paste ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
- Heat cooking oil in a saucepan, add chili paste, keep stirring and saute until fragrant, approximately 5 – 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- Meanwhile, grease a baking pan and the banana leaf or foil. Place banana leaf or foil on the baking pan.
- Place the fish on the greased banana leaf or foil. Pour all the chili paste over fish, fully coated the fish with chili paste.
- Grill fish in a preheated oven at 180°C for around 25 minutes or until cooked. Flip the fish once after 12 minutes. Check regularly and keep grilling until cooked.
- Squeeze lime juices over fish.
- Serve immediately.
