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Ikan woku
Fish in lemongrass basil paste
Ikan woku: Manado-style fish in a fragrant yellow paste with lemongrass, lime leaves and lemon basil
Woku is the signature sauce of Minahasa cooking around Manado in North Sulawesi, where fish woku is cooked for Sunday lunches after church and for family gatherings. Fish steaks simmer briefly in a bright yellow paste of turmeric, chilli, shallot and ginger, smothered in lemongrass, lime leaves, pandan, spring onion and handfuls of lemon basil, so the sauce is hot, herbal and sharp with lime. A portion has about 30 g of protein from the fish; eat it with plenty of rice. The common mistake is stirring hard once the fish goes in, which breaks it up; shake the pan instead. Chef's tip: add the basil only at the very end, off the heat, so it stays green and perfumed.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅜ lb firm fish steaks (tuna, snapper or mackerel)in 4 pieces
- 2 limesjuiced
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 lemongrassstalks, bruised and knotted
- 5 kaffir lime leavestorn
- 1 pandan leaf (optional)knotted
- 2 tomatoescut into wedges
- 4 spring onionscut into 3 cm lengths
- ¾ cup water
- 1 large handful lemon basil (kemangi) or Thai basil
For the yellow paste
- 6 shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4 bird's eye chilliesor to taste
- 1 ⅝ in fresh turmericor 1 tsp ground
- 1 ⅛ in ginger
- 3 candlenutsor macadamia nuts
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rub 1 ⅜ lb firm fish steaks (tuna, snapper or mackerel) with half of 1 limes and ½ tsp salt and leave for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Blend 6 shallots, 3 cloves garlic, 4 red chillies, 4 bird's eye chillies, 1 ⅝ in fresh turmeric, 1 ⅛ in ginger and 3 candlenuts to a coarse paste.
Step 3: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and fry the paste with 2 lemongrass, 5 kaffir lime leaves and 1 pandan leaf, stirring, until it darkens slightly and smells fragrant, 5–6 minutes.
6 minStep 4: Pour in ¾ cup water, add the rest of ½ tsp salt and bring to a simmer. Lay in the fish in one layer and spoon the sauce over.
2 minStep 5: Cover and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, shaking the pan rather than stirring, until the fish is opaque and flakes at the centre.
10 minStep 6: Add 2 tomatoes and 4 spring onions and cook 2 minutes more, until just softened.
2 minStep 7: Off the heat, stir in 1 large handful lemon basil (kemangi) or Thai basil and the rest of 1 limes. Taste for salt and serve with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 31 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ikan woku take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of limes?
- Lemon, same amount.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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