Balinese Fish Sambal & Ikan Masak Merah

Back in 2009, I had the pleasure of spending six unforgettable days in Bali. This island, with its rich culture and history, left me spellbound. Years later, when I returned to Indonesia (YOGYAKARTA THE KICKOFF & SURAKARTA HEARTBEAT), my passion for Indonesian cuisine led me to savor a variety of dishes to my heart’s content. While Indonesian cuisine share some similarities with Malaysian Malay cuisine, particularly in the use of sambal - a fiery blend of fresh or red chilies, shallots, garlic, ginger, and tangy tamarind or lime juice - Indonesian sambal has its own unique charm. My sambal recipe also includes terasi (belacan) for an extra layer of depth.

 

During my Indonesian trips and from insights shared by my housekeepers, I discovered that the key to an exceptional sambal base is in its preparation. The ingredients are either steamed or sautéed before being blended into a paste. Imagine enjoying this sambal base as a dip, with a squeeze of lime juice to enhance the flavors. Tempting, isn’t it? As a sambal enthusiast, I tweeted   the traditional recipe to create my own version of Balinese Fish Sambal. And while we’re on the subject of fish sambals, let me introduce you to my take on Ikan Masak Merah (TAMARIND FRIED FISH), a delightful cousin of Indonesia’s Ikan Balado.

Balinese Fish Sambal/Sambal Ikan Bali

Ingredients (for sambal)

1 tomato

5 red chilies

7 shallots

7 garlic cloves

4 birds eye chilies (optional)

 

Method

Steam these ingredients and then blend or pound them into a sambal paste.

Other Ingredients:

1 piece of threadfin fish, cut and mixed with turmeric powder and salt

Lime juice (as needed)

Oil (as needed)

Salt (as needed)

Method

Heat oil and fry the fish.

Remove and set aside.

Reduce the amount of oil and fry the sambal paste until aromatic and the oil splits.

Add the fish, lime juice, and salt.

Stir everything together and remove from heat.

Ms. Nava’s Ikan Masak Merah/Fish in Red Sauce
Ingredients

For the Fish (mix these ingredients together)

2 large pieces of ikan kembung, cleaned and cut in half

1 tsp rice flour

1 tsp corn flour

Salt

For the Sambal Paste (Blend these ingredients with some water)

Dried chilies (as needed)

Fresh chilies (as needed)

6 shallots

5 garlic cloves

1 tomato

½ inch roasted belacan/terasi

 

Other Ingredients

2 tbsp tomato paste

A small piece of palm sugar

Salt (to taste)

Oil (as needed)

 

Method

Heat oil and fry the fish. Remove and set aside.

Reduce the oil to 3 tbsp.

Add the sambal paste and fry until the oil splits.

Add the tomato paste, palm sugar, and salt.

Add the fried fish to the pan and stir everything together.

Dish out and optionally garnish with sliced shallots and coriander leaves.

Tip: For a delightful twist, you can also add boiled eggs to any sambal variation.