Ikan Bakar Grilled Spiced Fish

Name: Ikan Bakar Grilled Spiced Fish
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 2 (1.5 lb) whole fish, cleaned (snapper, tilapia, or sea bass), scored 3x each side; 6 shallots, roughly chopped; 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped; 4 red Fresno or Thai red chilies, roughly chopped; 2 lemongrass stalk, white part only, sliced; 1/2 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp ground coriander; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce); 2 tbsp fresh lime juice; 1 tsp salt; 2 lime, cut into wedges

A whole fish rubbed with a fragrant Indonesian spice paste of shallots, chilies, turmeric, and lemongrass, then grilled over high heat until the skin is charred and the flesh is tender. Plan ahead: marinate the fish 30 minutes before grilling.

65 minMediumServes 4360 cal/serving

IndonesianDinnerGrillPescatarianHigh ProteinLow CarbDairy-FreeShellfish-FreePork-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

2 (1.5 lb) whole fish, cleaned (snapper, tilapia, or sea bass), scored 3x each side
6 shallots, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
4 red Fresno or Thai red chilies, roughly chopped
2 lemongrass stalk, white part only, sliced
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp salt
2 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1

Blend 6 roughly chopped shallots, 4 roughly chopped garlic cloves, 4 roughly chopped red Fresno or Thai red chilies, 2 white part only, sliced lemongrass stalk, 1/2 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground coriander, 3 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, and 1 tsp salt in a blender until a smooth spice paste forms.
2

Pat 2 (1.5 lb) scored 3x each side whole fish, cleaned (snapper, tilapia, or sea bass) dry. Rub the spice paste all over each fish, pressing it into the scored cuts and inside the cavity. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3

Preheat grill to high heat. Oil the grates well.
4

Grill fish for 8-10 minutes per side without moving, until the skin is charred and lifts cleanly from the grates. The fish is done when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily at the thickest part and registers an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).
5

Transfer carefully to a platter and serve with 2 cut into wedges lime and steamed rice or vegetables.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The Indonesian Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

What internal temperature should Ikan Bakar Grilled Spiced Fish reach?

For Ikan Bakar Grilled Spiced Fish, the target internal temperature is 145 F (about 65 C), given in step 4. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork.

How long should Ikan Bakar Grilled Spiced Fish marinate?

Step 2 reads: "Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes." Follow the time in step 2. Shorter still seasons the surface. Much longer is not better with acidic marinades, which turn the outside of meat or fish mushy.

What can I use instead of kecap manis in Ikan Bakar Grilled Spiced Fish?

The entry for Ikan Bakar Grilled Spiced Fish calls for 2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce). In its place: Simmer equal parts soy sauce and brown sugar or molasses for a minute, until syrupy.

Does Ikan Bakar Grilled Spiced Fish contain soy?

Yes: 2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce). The full allergen list for this entry is gluten, soy and fish. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

Which part of Ikan Bakar Grilled Spiced Fish can be done ahead?

Everything up to step 2. Step 2 is a built-in pause of 30 minutes: "Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes." Do everything up to that point ahead of time and pick up at step 3 when you are ready to finish.

Serve it with

Plecing Kangkung side
Pecel salad
Sambal Kecap sauce
Es Teler Mixed Fruit Coconut Cooler drink

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.