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Pepes ikan
Fish steamed in banana leaf
Pepes ikan: West Javanese fish in turmeric spice paste and basil, steamed in banana leaf and then grilled
Pepes ikan is everyday Sundanese cooking from Bandung and the hills of West Java, made in the morning and eaten with rice, sambal and raw vegetables at lunch. Fish is rubbed with a yellow paste of turmeric, shallot, candlenut and chilli, scattered with lemon basil, wrapped in banana leaf and steamed, then charred briefly on a grill so the leaf smokes and perfumes it. The flesh comes out moist and fragrant. A portion has about 30 g of protein from the fish. The usual mistake is skipping the steaming and grilling straight away: the outside burns before the fish is cooked. Chef's tip: lemon basil (kemangi) is the signature; if you can't get it, use Thai basil with a little lemon zest.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅜ lb firm white fish fillets or tilapia filletsin 4 pieces, skin on
- 1 limejuiced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 large handful lemon basil (kemangi)
- 1 tomatosliced
- 2 lemongrassstalks, cut into 4 and bruised
- 4 Indonesian bay leaves (daun salam)or 2 bay leaves
- 4 banana leavespieces about 30 × 25 cm, plus toothpicks
For the spice paste
- 6 shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 candlenutsor macadamia nuts
- 1 ⅝ in fresh turmericor 1 tsp ground
- ¾ in ginger
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rub 1 ⅜ lb firm white fish fillets or tilapia fillets with 1 lime and 1 tsp salt and leave for 10 minutes while you make the paste.
10 minStep 2: Blend 6 shallots, 3 cloves garlic, 3 candlenuts, 1 ⅝ in fresh turmeric, ¾ in ginger, 3 red chillies, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tbsp vegetable oil to a thick, smooth yellow paste.
Step 3: Soften the 4 banana leaves over a flame or in hot water. Spread a spoon of paste in the centre of each, lay a piece of fish on top and cover it with more paste.
Step 4: Top each with 1 large handful lemon basil (kemangi), a slice of 1 tomato, pieces of 2 lemongrass and a 4 Indonesian bay leaves (daun salam) leaf. Fold the long sides over, then fold the ends under and pin with toothpicks.
Step 5: Steam the parcels over boiling water for 20 minutes, until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes when you press it through the leaf.
20 minStep 6: Grill or dry-fry the parcels in a hot griddle pan for 3–4 minutes a side, until the leaf is charred in spots and smells smoky.
8 minStep 7: Open at the table and eat with rice, sambal and cucumber.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pepes ikan take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 35 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.
- What can I use instead of lime?
- Lemon, same amount.
- What can I use instead of tomato?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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