The time period pepes covers a wide selection of meals cooked in banana leaves. The substances together with the seasonings and spices are locked in permitting all the pieces to meld in a moist atmosphere for optimum taste and aroma. As a bonus, the banana leaves make the cooked meals extra aromatic and subtly candy.
Ikan means fish. Catfish and carp are traditiona for making pepes ikan however any fleshy fish will in order nicely.
On this recipe, two medium-sized purse-eyed scads had been smothered with spice paste, wrapped in banana leaves, steamed and char-grilled.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 entire fish, every about 500 grams in weight, gutted and scaled
- a knob of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pounded and peeled
- four shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 stalk lemongrass, white portion solely, thinly sliced
- three chicken's eye chilies
- 1 tablespoon grated palm sugar
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 2 candlenuts (or substitute macadamia)
- 2 beneficiant pinches of salt
- lime wedges or kalamansi halves
- 2 bay leaves
- four items banana leaves, every about one-foot sq., wilted (see how)
- crisp-fried shallots (elective)
- cilantro (optionally available)
PREPARATION
- Rinse the fish properly. Pat dry with a kitchen towel. Rating the fish by making two diagonal slashes on all sides. Put aside.
- Make the spice paste. Grind collectively the ginger, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, chilies, palm sugar, tamarind paste, candlenuts and salt till pasty. To do that, you should utilize a mortar and pestle, a blender or a meals processor. Divide into 4 equal parts.
- Squeeze lime or kalamansi juice on each facet the fish. Place a bay leaf on the heart of a bit of banana leaf. Unfold one portion of the spice paste throughout the middle of the banana leaf. Place a fish on high. Unfold one other portion of the spice paste on the fish. Roll the banana leaf tightly across the fish.
- Place the banana leaf-wrapped fish, seam aspect down, on one other piece of banana leaf. Roll tightly. Tie the sides of the parcel (see particulars) to seal or use items of bamboo skewer to shut the openings.
- Do the identical with the opposite fish.
- Steam the fish over briskly boiling water for ten minutes.
- Transfer the parcels to a extremely popular grill and grill the fish for about 5 minutes per facet or till the banana leaves are properly charred.
- To serve, lower the parcels to show the fish. Sprinkle optionally with crisp-fried shallots and cilantro. Serve directly with scorching rice.
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