Ikan Balado

Guys, where is our recipe heading to today? Brace yourself because on our menu today is this Indonesian style spicy fish. Indonesian style fish? Oh-my-goodness. When we speak about Indonesian savory dishes on the whole, what comes to our mind? Of course chillies and sambal, wouldn't you agree? And I, as you know, have already been crowned as the sambal queen (Sambal Udang Petai) Whether its our Malaysian sambal or sambal from elsewhere, basically, its about spiciness of chillies and pretty much, how different can an Indonesian style sambal be? Don't you think it must trend really close or can be said as a close cousin of our Malaysian sambal or (Assam Curry Fish & Ikan Assam Pedas)? Almost the same ingredients, maybe a tiny bit of changes here and there, but overall, if you are asking me, major similarities are there.


Spiciness of course is a must as well from our neighboring countries (Singapore Laksa, Moroccan Chicken Stew & Shahi Mutton Curry) and spiciness by far can be the outcome from spices and other ingredients as well (Malabar Fish Curry, Vietnamese Steamed Fish, Unagi Kabayaki, Thai Crispy Fish, Teochew Steamed Fish, Bengali Fish Curry, Hong Kong Steamed Fish & Indian-Spiced Salmon). How do we make this Indonesian Ikan Balado. The choice to the type of fish is solely yours of course and fish will be fried after lathering with cornflour, rice flour, corn flour and salt. Thereafter making the spicy, tangy and mildly sweet sambal balado and tipping it atop fish (Grilled Fish In Banana Leaf, Chilli Soy Fish, Chilli Lime Fish, Spicy Grilled Fish & Crispy Chilli Fish).

Ingredients

For fish
1 medium size (about 400g) black pompret - de-gut and make incisions on both sides

1/2 tbsp corn flour

1/2 tbsp rice flour

Salt for taste

Oil as needed

For the sauce

5 garlic - chopped

5 shallots - chopped

2 tomatoes - chopped 

1 tbsp blended/grounded dried chilli paste

2-3 red/birds eye chillies - sliced (optional)
1 tsp belacan powder/roasted and pounded belacan/shrimp paste
Lime juice - as needed 

2-3 sprigs coriander leaves - sliced

Salt for taste

Method

Rub/lather fish with rice flour, corn flour and salt. 

Deep fry, remove and place on a serving plate.

In the same pan, leave about 2 tbsp of oil.

Saute shallots and garlic.
Add tomatoes, chilli paste and belacan powder. 

Cook till oil splits. 
Pour 3 to 4 tbsp of water.
Season with salt and lime juice.
Stir. 

Off the heat and stir in birds eye chillies and coriander leaves.
Tip sambal balado over fish.