Fried Fish Stuffed with Sambal (Rempah Fish)
Here is our recipe for rempah fish—a Penang Nyonya specialty that is well-loved by many Peranakan/Nyonya-Baba families. If you go to Penang, you might find it at economy rice stalls if you are lucky!
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 hardtail mackerel (ikan cincaru)
- 3 fresh red chilies
- 5 dried chilies
- 10-12 shallots
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon belacan
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon tamarind pulp (soak in 1/4 cup water, extract juice and discard pulps)
- 1/4 cup oil
Instructions
- 1
Clean and rinse the fish with water. Using a sharp knife, make a deep slit along the bone on one side of the fish, then repeat on the other side.
- 2
Blend the spice paste in a mini food processor or use a mortar and pestle to pound it into a smooth mixture.
- 3
Heat a wok with 3 tablespoons of oil, then add the spice paste and stir-fry over low heat until aromatic. Add the tamarind juice and continue to stir-fry until the spice paste is smooth and slightly moist, but not overly runny. Season to taste with salt and sugar. Dish out and let cool.
- 4
Stuff the spice paste into the slits on both sides of the fish and also inside the fish's cavity.
- 5
Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a wok and deep-fry the fish until cooked. Serve immediately.