Otak-Otak

Name: Otak-Otak
Yield: Makes 12
Cuisine: Singaporean
Ingredients: 4 kaffir lime leaves, sliced; 100 ml (3½ fl oz) coconut milk; 2 eggs; 200 g (7 oz) peeled prawns; 400 g (14⅓ oz) batang (Spanish mackerel) fillet; 1 tsp salt; 250 g (9 oz) shallots, peeled; 25 g (⅘ oz) galangal, peeled; 24 bamboo toothpicks; 30 g (1 oz) dried chillies, seeds removed and soaked in hot water for 30 minutes; 12 sheets banana leaves, each 26 x 18-cm (10 x 7-in); Cooking oil, as needed; 1 Tbsp coriander powder; 1 Tbsp sugar; 1 Tbsp turmeric powder; 85 ml (2½ fl oz / ⅓ cup) cooking oil; 20 g (⅔ oz) belacan (dried prawn paste); 30 g (1 oz) lemongrass, white bulbous end only, sliced; 10 candlenuts

Preparation info

Makes
12

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Hawker Favourites

By The MeatMen

Published 2017

About

Spicy minced fish wrapped in banana leaves and flame-grilled to perfection — otak-otak is a hawker classic that many of us will remember from our childhood days. Enjoy on its own or as a sandwich filling.

Ingredients

12 sheets banana leaves, each 26 x 18-cm (10 x 7-in)
Cooking oil, as need

Asia
Singapore
Fish course
Pescatarian
Spicy
South East Asia
Street Food
Gluten-free

Method

Prepare otak-otak paste. Remove seeds from dried chillies, then soak chillies in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain chillies and add to food processor with shallots, galangal, lemongrass, candlenuts, belacan and turmeric powder. Blend into a fine paste.
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add spice paste, coriander powder, sugar and salt. Stir-fry un