Ikan Santen

Fish in a hot coconut sauce.


Ingredients:

500 gr Mackerel
Salt
2 Onions
1 tablespoon Sambal Ulek
1 stalk lemongrass
1 teaspoon trassi
1 slice galangal
400 ml (one tin) Coconut milk
1-2 laurel leaves
1 Daun jeruk purut
Oil


Preparation:

Season the fish and fry on both sides in the oil to a golden colour. Don't overcook, the fish must remain firm. set aside.

Using a mortar & pestle or food processor, make a paste from the onions, sambal, lemongrass, trassi and galangal. Add the coconut milk and, on a low flame, reduced the sauce to about halve its volume . place the fish in the sauce and add the laurel and jeruk purut leaves and simmer for a few more minutes. Serve with boiled rice.
Remarks:

You can replace the mackerel with any type of "oily" fish that's available to you locally.
The sambal ulek can be replaced with 3 or 4 red chillies and the lemongrass with a tablespoon of lemon zest.
Lemongrass, Ginger and Galangal are also widely available as a paste in jars which will keep for a long time.