Pepes Ikan Recipe

What is Pepes Ikan? Pepes Ikan is a typical Indonesian side dish. It is famous throughout Indonesian archipelago. Pepes signifies the steaming of food in banana leaves, which gives it an earthy flavor that works well with the rich Manadonese spices. It is fish which rubbed with spice paste/mixture, wrapped in banana leaf, steamed and then grilled in a charcoal or baked on the oven. The combination between complete spices blends with banana leaf's aroma, but should be eaten gingerly.

BUY PEPES IKAN: CLICK HERE

serves 4

cook time: 30 min, prep time: 15 min

Pepes Ikan ingredients:

• 3 shallots

• 3 cloves garlic

• 5 candlenuts

• 5 cm piece turmeric

• 3 red chilies

• 1 tspn shrimp paste

• 1 tspn tamarind soaked in 60ml water

• 1 ripe tomato, chopped

• 1 tspn sugar

• 1/2 tspn salt

• 1/2 to 3/4 kg whole fish like red snapper or tilapia, cleaned and gutted

• banana leaves cut to a rectangle large enough to wrap the fish

• Handful of lemon basil leaves

Pepes Ikan Preparation:

1. Using a mortar and pestle or food processor, blend all the ingredients except the fish, banana leaves and lemon basil until a smooth paste forms.

2. Make slits on both sides of the fish and spread evenly with the paste.

3. Place the fish on the banana leaf and lay the lemon basil leaves on top.

4. Fold into a parcel, securing the ends with toothpicks.

5. Either steam the fish for about 30 minutes, or barbecue over charcoal for about 10 to 15 minutes on each side, until the leaf edges are getting charred.

6. Slowly open the parcel to check if the fish is opaque and the flesh flakes easily with a fork, it is cooked.