Grilled Tilapia with Terasi Sambal
Ingredients
- 3 tilapia fish (1 kg)
- 200 ml water
- Oil for sautéing and frying
- 1 lemongrass stalk, smashed
- 4 kaffir lime leaves
- 4 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
- Salt to taste
- Stock powder to taste
Spices to grind
- 5 shallots
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 cm turmeric
- 2 cm ginger
- 2 cm galangal
- 4 candlenuts
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 garlic cloves, mashed
- 2 cm turmeric, mashed
- 1 teaspoon salt
Sambal
- 2 shallots
- 4 large red chilies
- 30 bird's eye chilies
- 1 large tomato
- 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar
- Salt to taste
- 4 calamansi limes
Preparation
Marinate the fish with the marinade and let it sit for about 1 hour.
Sauté the ground spices with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves until cooked. Add water, sweet soy sauce, salt, and stock powder. Cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens. Set aside.
Deep fry the fish in hot oil until the skin is dry but the meat is still tender. Remove and drain.
Grill the fish over charcoal, basting occasionally with the thickened sauce.
Sambal
Pound all ingredients except the calamansi limes until smooth. Finally, squeeze in the juice from the limes. Ready to serve.
Serving
Serve the grilled fish with the sambal in a mortar.
Tips
This sambal omits garlic for a fresher taste as an alternative preference.
