The Sardines with green chile sambal | Sambal lado mudo is a dish that could be made with whole fresh sardines, anchovies, or mackerel all would work well because they are easy to prepare and quick to cook, not to mention very good for you because of the omega-3 oils. You could also serve this sambal with a piece of seared tuna. Use unripe green tomatoes; if they are not available, choose the least-ripe tomatoes that you can find, even though this is the opposite of what you usually look for. The hot and sour elements of the sambal cut the oiliness of the fish. Ask your fishmonger to clean and scale the fish.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
5 shallots
2 kaffir lime leaves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus
extra for cooking
6 fresh green chiles, seeded and
finely chopped
2 unripe green tomatoes, seeded
and diced
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
juice of 2 limes
12–16 fresh sardines, cleaned
and scaled
freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Peel the shallots and cut in half; remove the core. Finely slice the shallot. Turn the lime leaves over so that the undersides are facing up. Using a sharp knife, shave off the stems so that the leaves lie flat.
2. Place the leaves on top of each other, and roll them tightly like a cigar. With a fast rolling motion of the knife, finely chop the lime leaves into thin needle-like shreds.
3. To make up the sambal, heat the 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy pan over a medium-high heat. Add the shallot, and stir-fry for 2 minutes until fragrant and translucent. Add the green chile, tomato, lime leaves, sugar, and salt. Stir-fry for 3 minutes, then add the lime juice and remove the pan from the heat.
4. Heat a frying pan or ridged cast-iron grill pan over a mediumhigh heat, and add a little oil. Season the fish with salt and black pepper. Grill the fish for 3 minutes on each side.
5. Be careful not to overcook them, as this will cause them to dry out and lose their flavor. Serve immediately with the green chile and tomato sambal.
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| Sardines with green chile sambal recipe |
