This particular way of cooking fish is well known especially in West Java, Indonesia. Basically, it is a dish of fish spiced up with certain exotics ingredients, wrapped in fresh banana leaves. Banana leaves are essential as some believe it will make the smell and the taste of the fish better.
I even learned from my sister in law who came originally from Sukabumi (located in the very heart of West Java area), she suggested to shortly preheat the fresh banana leaves on a small (stove) fire, until the leaves a little brownish and warm before using them to wrap the fish. She said it will make the whole fish more tasty. To cook pepes ikan or spiced fish can be done in many ways; either you bake it in the oven, grill it, steam it in the pressure pan or cover it with burning ashes of charcoals in the ground. All will do! You decide!
Pepes ikan is one of our favorite dishes in my family. From when I was little until now I lived and grew up by eating a lot of fishes, and to me cooking a spiced fish my way is the easiest.
Since we are living in Italy, I tried to get all ingredients at an Asian store here in Florence (I bought most of Asian spices at a store named V.V.M.) and I found that the price of fresh banana leaves were way too high for my budget! I want to eat good food but I like to keep it fit with my budget. Having considered that those banana leaves will be thrown away once we ate the fish, I decided to forget about it. My alternative was to just used aluminum foils for wrapping and baked the fish in the preheated oven and the result was a satisfaction! Try it for yourself!
Baked Spiced Fish - from Jossi's Kitchen
Material:
- 2 Orata fishes (I like to use Orata as the meat is sweet and tender but also rich in texture ,it also has less tiny bones compared to Trota. You can use different kind of fish, but NOT tuna and salmon!)
- Aluminum foils for wrapping
Spices listed below are for 1 fish, if you cook 2 fishes you need to double them up.
*) you can buy these spices at Asian stores.
Ingredients :
-5 pcs of garlic, peel and finely sliced
-5 pcs of shalot or onion, sliced roughly
-a pinch of dried lemon leaves and bay leaves*
-3 dried chilly (cabe rawit kering)*
-1 small cube 1cm x1cm of butter, roughly chopped
-1 tablespoon of lemon water (add more if you like sour)
Ingredients (powder):
-2 teaspoon of turmeric powder* (kunyit yang berwarna kuning)
-1 teaspoon of coriander powder* (ketumbar)
-1 tablespoon of salt
-1 teaspoon of pepper
-1 teaspoon of sugar
Additional spice:
If you like strong spice this will be your option and it will make the fish tastes better:
-1 small pot of sambal oelek* (enough for 2 orata) **
Preparation :
Fish 1
-Prepare a piece of aluminum foil for 1 fish on a flat surface (normally 25-30cm long the size should be long / wide enough to cover the fish)
-Wash the the fish under running clean water, put it on the aluminum foil, pour lemon water on both sides of the fish evenly
-Add all powder ingredients on both sides of the fish and spread/rub them evenly using a spoon, or a brush on the whole body of the fish (do it one side at time), also inside its stomach and its head
-Put the rest of ingredients on, beneath and around the fish, put some pieces of garlic, onion, and dried leaves also inside the stomach and the head.
-Wrap the fish by pulling both sides of aluminum foil on its length, fold them together until it closed properly. Then fold both ends and secure them by folding the aluminum foil.
For an extra spicy **) just add up 1/4 pot of sambal oelek on one side of the fish, spread it evenly on the fish, put some in its stomach and its head, flip the fish, do the same on the other side of the fish .
Preparation :
- Preheat oven at 250 degree Celcius.
Fish 2
While the oven is preheating, you can work on fish no 2. Do the same as you did with fish no 1. Then you will have 2 wrapped fishes ready to cook in your preheated oven.
Cooking direction :
Cook the fish for 30 - 40 minutes, I like it at 30 minutes for a medium cooked. Cook it longer for a well done!
Cook the fish for 30 - 40 minutes, I like it at 30 minutes for a medium cooked. Cook it longer for a well done!
Serving tips :
- Take a wrapped baked spiced fish out of the oven, open the middle top part of the aluminum foil.
- Serve it with hot white rice and fresh vegetable (sliced cucumbers and tomatoes).
Selamat makan!