Cuisine : Ikan Pepes : How to make this Indonesian dish

 

Ikan Pepes is an Indonesian dish where fish is wrapped in banana leaves and then steamed or grilled with a mixture of aromatic spices. Here's a detailed recipe:

**Ingredients:**

- 500g fish fillets (such as tilapia, snapper, or mackerel), cut into pieces

- Banana leaves, cut into squares (for wrapping)

- Lime wedges, for serving

**For the Spice Paste (Bumbu Pepes):**

- 5 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped

- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

- 3 red chili peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped

- 2 bird's eye chili peppers (optional, for extra heat)

- 2 tomatoes, chopped

- 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, thinly sliced

- 1-inch piece of galangal, peeled and sliced

- 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced

- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1 teaspoon sugar

- 2 tablespoons tamarind juice (made by soaking tamarind pulp in warm water)

**Instructions:**

1. **Prepare Banana Leaves:**

   - If using fresh banana leaves, quickly pass them over an open flame to soften them. This will make them pliable for wrapping. If using frozen leaves, thaw them and wipe them clean with a damp cloth.

2. **Make the Spice Paste:**

   - In a blender or food processor, combine shallots, garlic, red chili peppers, bird's eye chili peppers (if using), tomatoes, lemongrass, galangal, ginger, turmeric powder, coriander seeds, salt, sugar, and tamarind juice. Blend until you get a smooth paste.

3. **Marinate the Fish:**

   - Place the fish fillets in a large bowl and coat them thoroughly with the spice paste. Let them marinate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate the fish.

4. **Wrap the Fish:**

   - Place a piece of banana leaf on a flat surface. Put a portion of marinated fish in the center of the leaf.

   - Fold the sides of the banana leaf over the fish to form a parcel. Secure the ends with toothpicks or kitchen twine to hold the parcel together.

5. **Cooking:**

   - Steaming: Arrange the banana leaf parcels in a steamer basket. Steam over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.

   - Grilling: Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Place the banana leaf parcels directly on the grill grates and cook for about 10-15 minutes on each side, or until the fish is cooked through and the banana leaves are charred in spots.

6. **Serving:**

   - Carefully open the banana leaf parcels and transfer the fish to serving plates.

   - Serve hot with steamed rice and lime wedges on the side.

Enjoy your flavorful Ikan Pepes!