Nyonya Otak-Otak

Ingredients

• 500 g Spanish mackerel or firm white fish fillet, skinned
• 200 ml thick coconut milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 dried chillies
• 4 fresh red chillies
• 8 shallots
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 lemongrass stalks, white part only
• 3 cm fresh turmeric
• 2 cm galangal
• 4 candlenuts
• 1 tsp belacan (shrimp paste)
• 6 kaffir lime leaves
• 20 daun kaduk (wild betel leaves)
• banana leaves, cut into 20 cm squares
• cocktail sticks, for pinning

Before you cook

• Soak the dried chillies in hot water for twenty minutes and drain them.
• Cut the fish into chunks and run your fingers over it to find any stray bones.
• Blend the soaked chillies, fresh chillies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, turmeric, galangal, candlenuts and belacan to a fine paste.
• Shred four of the kaffir lime leaves into hair-fine strips and leave the rest whole.
• Cut the banana leaves into 20 cm squares and wipe them clean.
• Blitz the fish with the rempah in a processor until smooth and slightly sticky.
• Beat in the eggs, coconut milk, rice flour, sugar and salt until the mixture is thick and glossy.
• Fold the shredded lime leaves through and chill the mixture for twenty minutes.

Steps

1. Hold each banana leaf square briefly over a gas flame, or dip it in boiling water for five seconds, until it turns glossy and pliable.
2. Lay a banana leaf square on the worktop and place one or two daun kaduk in the centre.
3. Spoon three tablespoons of the fish mixture over the leaves and spread it into a rough rectangle.
4. Fold the two long sides of the banana leaf over the filling so they overlap.
5. Fold up the two ends and pin them shut with cocktail sticks.
6. Repeat until all the mixture is wrapped.
7. Set a steamer over high heat and bring the water beneath it to a hard boil.
8. Steam the parcels in a single layer for twelve to fifteen minutes, until the filling is firm to a light press.
9. Heat a griddle pan or barbecue until very hot.
10. Char the steamed parcels for two minutes on each side, until the leaves blacken and smell smoky.
11. Rest the parcels for two minutes, then open them at the table and eat the otak-otak straight from the leaf.