2 teaspoon chili powder
5 fragrant lime leaves
¾ cup oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
¼ teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
Banana leaf
Aluminum foil
1 whole fish
SPICE PASTE:
3 onions
6 red chilies
1 scant teaspoon dried shrimp paste
½ galangal
2 stalks lemongrass
5 candlenuts
1 cup water
Chop spice paste ingredients, and then blend finely with the water. Mix in the chili powder and lime leaves, then fry gently in the oil for about 5 minutes. Combine with the sesame oil, soy sauce, salt and sugar. Mix well and leave to cool. Cut a large rectangle of banana leaf and brush with oil. If using a whole fish, remove scales, gills and stomach. Cut down the underneath side of the fish from the tail to head and flatten fish with you hand. Slash down either side of the backbone from head to tail, to release the fish flesh from the bones and allow the spice paste to penetrate. Rub the cooked spice paste all over the fish, pushing it well into to slits. If using fish fillets, coat generously on either side with the paste. Fold the fish in a package in banana leaf and wrap again in foil to secure it. If using fillets, wrap each individually and fasten with a toothpick. Bake, grill or barbecue until cooked.
5 fragrant lime leaves
¾ cup oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
¼ teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
Banana leaf
Aluminum foil
1 whole fish
SPICE PASTE:
3 onions
6 red chilies
1 scant teaspoon dried shrimp paste
½ galangal
2 stalks lemongrass
5 candlenuts
1 cup water
Chop spice paste ingredients, and then blend finely with the water. Mix in the chili powder and lime leaves, then fry gently in the oil for about 5 minutes. Combine with the sesame oil, soy sauce, salt and sugar. Mix well and leave to cool. Cut a large rectangle of banana leaf and brush with oil. If using a whole fish, remove scales, gills and stomach. Cut down the underneath side of the fish from the tail to head and flatten fish with you hand. Slash down either side of the backbone from head to tail, to release the fish flesh from the bones and allow the spice paste to penetrate. Rub the cooked spice paste all over the fish, pushing it well into to slits. If using fish fillets, coat generously on either side with the paste. Fold the fish in a package in banana leaf and wrap again in foil to secure it. If using fillets, wrap each individually and fasten with a toothpick. Bake, grill or barbecue until cooked.
