Homemade ikan bakar

 

Since we had some leftover banana leaves from a banana leaf rice delivery, decided to give this grilled fish a try. Sumptious sauce so definitely noting the ingredients now for future seafood grills (lol, I had just guesstimated and thrown a bunch of stuff in). Only thing missing was the lovely smokiness from charcoal grilling like the ikan bakar sold on the street, but thats hard to achieve when grilling in the oven. 

HOMEMADE IKAN BAKAR

Ingredients:

3 King mackerel fish steaks (ikan tenggiri) - halved or quartered

1 teaspoon Turmeric powder

6-7 small red onions

4 pips garlic

Half inch ginger

4 Kaffir lime leaves

1 stalk curry leaves

1 stalk Lemongrass

1 cup coconut cream (santan pekat)

2-3 tablespoon ground chilli paste (chilli boh) 

5 small calamansi limes (limau kasturi) juice

Salt to taste

3 tablespoons oil

Banana leaf to wrap

Method:

1. Cut and rinse the fish in turmeric water (helps to remove the smell). 

2. In a wok, heat the oil and fry - onions, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves, curry leaves, chilli paste, turmeric. When the onions are soft and caramellized, add in coconut cream and take off heat. Once slightly cool, grind this mixture to a paste in the blender. 

3. Prepare the banana leaf by cleaning and drying it, cut into squares, then quickly run over gas flame to soften so that its easier to wrap and doesnt tear. 

4. Place banana leaf on flat surface. Add a few spoons of the spice paste. Place fish on top and add a spoon of calamansi lime juice. Then add a few more spoons of spice paste till the steak is well covered. Ive found that smaller cuts of steak work better than a whole piece to absorb the spice flavour better. 

5. Slowly, wrap the banana leaf in a parcel around the fish. Secure with a moistened toothpick or yarn. 

6. Place wrapped parcels on an oiled baking tray and cook in oven, on the grill setting, for approximately 20minutes at 200c.