Balik Kampung

It's been a long time since I last made the Otak-Otak at home... bought a piece of shark (500g for USD 2.50) yesterday solely for the purpose of making this again. Like the last attempt, I felt this was much better than the last. Besides the nutty flavour, there was that crunchy texture to it - because we still haven't replaced 3 sets of faulty choppers. It was sweet yet spicy at the same time (see chilli flakes in pictures).

Instead of putting the paste in the oven, I used microwave at 180Watts for 30 minutes... so that the Otak is still moist but cooked through. Oven at low heat is best, as the Otak will be more pungent due to the balacan.

So here's the recipe for the otak-otak which I have tweaked a bit (yet again):

Ingredients

4 small onions

2 tsp belacan

5 stalks lemon grass (white part only)

5 bird eye chillies (seeds removed)

20 dried chillies (soaked for 10 mins in hot water)

6 kaffir leaves (centre removed)

1/2 tsp galangal powder (3 cm piece, fresh is best if available)

1/2 tsp turmeric (2 cm piece, fresh is best if available)

3 tbp sugar

500 g fish meat (minced)

1 egg

180 ml coconut cream

salt to taste

1 candlenut (ground)

1/2 tbsp cornflour

banana leaves or coconut fronds for wrapping.

Method:

Add first 8 items to blender to form a paste, best if kaffir lime leaves, galangal, turmeric, & lemongrass are cut to smaller pieces first.

Next, mince fish meat and then add to paste to mix thoroughly.

Add egg to the mixture, coconut cream to follow.

Mix in powdered candlenut to the mixture (this adds a nutty flavour & was missing from my earlier recipe)

Lastly, add cornflour to the paste before wrapping them in banana leaves, or coconut fronds.