Sate Lilit

Ingredients

• 500 g skinless snapper or mackerel fillet
• 150 g freshly grated coconut
• 100 ml thick coconut milk
• 8 shallots
• 5 garlic cloves
• 3 cm fresh turmeric
• 3 cm galangal
• 2 cm kencur (aromatic ginger)
• 5 candlenuts
• 6 large red chillies
• 6 bird's eye chillies
• 1 tsp shrimp paste (terasi)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tsp palm sugar
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 egg white
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• 16 thick lemongrass stalks
• 1 lime

Before you cook

• Chill the fish fillet in the freezer for 15 minutes so it minces cleanly.
• Mince the fish in a food processor in short pulses until it is a coarse paste with some texture left.
• Peel the shallots, garlic, turmeric, galangal and kencur.
• Trim the lemongrass stalks to about 15 cm and bruise the fat ends with the back of a knife.
• Shred the kaffir lime leaves as finely as you can.
• Cut the lime into wedges.

Steps

1. Blend the shallots, garlic, turmeric, galangal, kencur, candlenuts, both kinds of chilli, shrimp paste, coriander and black pepper into a thick paste.
2. Heat the coconut oil in a pan over medium-low heat and fry the paste for 12 minutes, stirring, until it turns deep red and the raw smell disappears.
3. Stir in the palm sugar and salt, then spread the paste on a plate to cool completely.
4. Put the minced fish, grated coconut, coconut milk, egg white and shredded lime leaves into a bowl.
5. Add the cooled spice paste and mix hard with your hands for 2 minutes, until the mixture is sticky enough to hold a shape.
6. Chill the mixture in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm it up.
7. Take a heaped tablespoon of the mixture and press it around the fat end of a lemongrass stalk in a fat sausage about 8 cm long.
8. Squeeze firmly so the paste grips the stalk and leaves no air pockets, then set it on a tray.
9. Shape the rest of the mixture onto the remaining stalks the same way.
10. Heat a charcoal grill until the coals glow with a light coating of ash, or heat a ridged griddle pan over medium-high heat.
11. Lay the skewers on the grill and cook for 4 minutes without moving them, so a crust forms.
12. Turn the skewers and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, turning once or twice more, until the fish is opaque, lightly charred and firm.
13. Pile the skewers onto a platter with the lime wedges and serve hot with rice and sambal matah.