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Ikan bakar (barbecued fish)

Name: Ikan bakar (barbecued fish)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3 Asian (red) eschalots, chopped; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; 5cm piece (65g) turmeric, peeled, chopped; 5cm piece (25g) ginger, peeled, chopped; 3 lemongrass stalks, white part chopped, stems reserved; 1 tbs belacan (roasted shrimp paste); 7 long red chillies, seeds removed from 1; 1/2 cup (125ml) sunflower oil; 2 tbs tamarind paste; 1 tbs caster sugar; 1 x 1.8kg whole snapper, cleaned; 1 banana leaf (from Asian food shops); Juice of 1 lime, plus extra lime cheeks to serve; 1/3 cup (80ml) soy sauce; Coriander sprigs & cooked rice, to serve

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by Diana Chan

Oct 16, 2017

For her second delicious. outing, MasterChef winner Diana Chan re-creates the classic barbecued Malay fish and sambal dish, ikan bakar.

3 Asian (red) eschalots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
5cm piece (65g) turmeric, peeled, chopped
5cm piece (25g) ginger, peeled, chopped
3 lemongrass stalks, white part chopped, stems reserved
1 tbs belacan (roasted shrimp paste)
7 long red chillies, seeds removed from 1
1/2 cup (125ml) sunflower oil
2 tbs tamarind paste
1 tbs caster sugar
1 x 1.8kg whole snapper, cleaned
1 banana leaf (from Asian food shops)
Juice of 1 lime, plus extra lime cheeks to serve
1/3 cup (80ml) soy sauce
Coriander sprigs & cooked rice, to serve

Method

1.

To make the sambal, place eschalot, garlic, turmeric, ginger, chopped lemongrass, shrimp paste and 6 whole chillies in a food processor and whiz to a fine paste.
2.

Heat oil in a wok over high heat, add sambal paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until golden and slightly curdled in appearance. Add tamarind, sugar, a pinch of salt flakes and 1/4 cup (60ml) water. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, for 4 minutes or until reduced slightly. Divide sambal in 2, reserving half to serve.
3.

Place fish on banana leaf. Fill cavity with reserved lemongrass stems. Cover fish with remaining sambal. Loosely wrap fish in banana leaf, then wrap leaf tightly in foil.
4.

Preheat a barbecue or chargrill pan to high heat. Reduce heat to medium and grill parcel, without turning, for 20 minutes or until fish is just cooked through. Remove and stand for 5 minutes to steam slightly.
5.

Finely chop remaining seedless chilli. Combine with lime juice and soy in a bowl.
6.

Open fish parcel and scatter with coriander. Serve with rice, chilli dressing, extra lime and reserved sambal.