Grilled Fish
Discover the best grilled fish ever! This Malaysian ikan bakar, or grilled fish wrapped in banana leaves, is moist, aromatic, and tantalizingly delicious. This ultimate grilled fish recipe promises an explosion of flavor that you just can't stop eating.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 6 oz (175g) fresh red chilies (seeded and cut into small pieces)
- 4 oz (125g) shallots
- 2 lemongrass (cut into thin slices, use white part only)
- 1 tablespoon toasted belacan (Malaysian shrimp paste)
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1/2 lime (extract juice)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 2 teaspoons sugar (or to taste)
- 1 lb (500g) red or white snapper (cleaned and scales removed)
- 3-4 sheets banana leaf
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 cup water plus tamarind pulp (size of a small ping pong ball)
- 3 fresh red chilies (seeded )
- 2 bird’s eye chilies (seeded, optional)
- 1 teaspoon toasted belacan
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- Salt (to taste)
- 2 shallots (thinly sliced)
Instructions
- 1
To cook grilled fish, grease a pan and line it with a few sheets of banana leaves. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over the leaves, spreading it evenly. Place the fish on top of the banana leaves.
- 2
Add 3 tablespoons of sambal on top of the fish. Heat the pan over medium heat on your stovetop and cover it with a lid. Cook the grilled fish for about 8 minutes, then flip it over. Add 3 more tablespoons of sambal to the other side and cook for another 8 minutes.
- 3
The grilled fish is done when you smell the sweet aroma of burnt banana leaves. Dish out and serve immediately with the Grilled Fish Dipping Sauce.
- 4
Grilled Fish Sambal
- 5
Grilled Fish Dipping Sauce (Optional)