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!
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
- 2 hardtail mackerel ikan cincaru
Spice Paste:
- 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
- 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.
- Blend the spice paste in a mini food processor or use a mortar and pestle to pound it into a smooth mixture.
- 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.
- Stuff the spice paste into the slits on both sides of the fish and also inside the fish's cavity.
- Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a wok and deep-fry the fish until cooked. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Serving: 2people | Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 101g | Fat: 64g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Cholesterol: 297mg | Sodium: 1838mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 18g