Baked Fish Percik Sauce Recipe

Baked Fish Percik Sauce Recipe

1 whole fish, about 600g

(use red snapper, grouper, threadfin or sultan fish)

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

2 stalks lemon grass, bruised (used only the bottom white tender part)

250ml coconut cream, squeezed from ½ grated coconut with sufficient water added

1 turmeric leaf, finely sliced

4 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced

aluminum foil for wrapping fish

2-3 tablespoons shallot oil

4 screwpine leaves (pandan leaves)

Ingredients to be ground (processed):

8 red chilies, seeded

1 teaspoon chopped bird's eye chilies (cili padi)

3-cm knob turmeric (kunyit), peeled

2.5-cm knob ginger, peeled

2 stalks lemongrass (serai), sliced - used only the bottom white tender part

200g peeled shallots

1½ teaspoons salt

Method:

Make 2 diagonal slits across each side of fish.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.  Place all ingredients to be ground into a blender (processor), then blend with sufficient water added until fine.  Pour blended mixture into a deep saucepan.  Add lemon grass and coconut cream.  Cook over low heat, stirring frequently until liquid is thick.  Stir in turmeric and lime leaves.  Remove from heat.  Brush aluminum foil with a little shallot oil.  Place 2 screwpine leaves on top.  Spread ⅓ of cooked mixture onto the center of foil piece.  Place fish on top and cover with remaining mixture.  Drizzle on remaining shallot oil and top with remaining screwpine leaves.  Wrap into a parcel.  With parcel in a baking tin, bake in an oven preheated to 225°C for 20 minutes.