The Marinated grilled mackerel Fresh mackerel | Ikan panggang is a delicious and simple fish when cooked quickly on a hot grill. In this recipe it is sliced into thick steaks before cooking, but you can leave the fish whole for grilling and serving if you prefer. Mackerel is easy to prepare and cook because of its size. The fantastic marinade here features some of the key ingredients of Indonesian cooking that go toward making the food of this region so distinctive. Turmeric, ginger, lemongrass, and lime are combined with coconut cream to make the hot-and-sour marinade. The heat and sourness cut the fattiness of the mackerel, working to bring out the sweetness of the fish.
Serves 4–6
Ingredients:
2 limes, plus extra lime wedges, to serve
5 fresh red chiles, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 lemongrass stalks, tough outer layer removed
finely chopped 13⁄4in (4cm) piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
5 shallots, finely chopped
7 fl oz (200ml) coconut cream
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
4–6 whole mackerel, cleaned and cut into thick steaks
Method:
1. Cut the skin and pith from the limes with a sharp knife, exposing the flesh. Discard the rind and pith, and finely chop the flesh.
2. Using a mortar and pestle, start grinding the chile and salt. Add the lemongrass and ginger, and work into a paste. Next, add the shallots, then the diced lime flesh. Add some of the coconut cream to bring the paste together.
3. Transfer the marinade to a wide bowl with the remaining coconut cream. Sprinkle in the ground turmeric and mix together.
4. If cooking the mackerel whole, cut 3 diagonal slits through the skin and down to the bone on both sides of the fish to allow the marinade to penetrate right into the center. Or, marinate the steaks in a shallow dish for 30 minutes, spreading the paste over the fish several times.
5. Heat a barbecue or ridged cast-iron grill pan until hot. Grill the fish for 4–5 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through, basting frequently with the spice marinade.
6. Serve straight away with the extra lime wedges for squeezing over, as a snack or appetizer, or as part of a larger Asian meal.
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| Marinated grilled mackerel Fresh mackerel Recipe |
