Grilled Fish With Banana Leaf

Grilled fish with banana leaf in Malaysia is a delicacy. Aromatic, smoky, and flavorful all in one bite. A superb method for grilling fish!

MALAYSIAN GRILLED FISH RECIPES

Penang, a Malaysian island, is known for its abundance of fish taken off its coastlines. This Grilled Fish with Banana Leaf is our favorite fish dish!

In the local dialect, this dish is referred to as Ikan Bakar or Ikan panggang. Fresh fish wrapped in banana leaves, spice marinated, then grilled to perfection! Even just thinking about it makes my salivary glands tingle.

Traditionally, fish is marinated in a spicy sambal paste before being served. This dish is perfectly balanced with spice, fragrance, pungentness, saltiness, and sweetness.

HOW TO GRILL THE FISH?

You can use an outdoor barbecue grill for cooking the fish. You can also use the stovetop.

I highly recommend making this grilled fish recipe, and I’ve included a photo tutorial in the gallery above to make it even easier for you to follow along. My grilled fish with a banana leaf would have made my late grandmother and parents very happy if they had tried it.

The average number of calories in one serving?

• Each serving of this recipe contains only 325 calories.

With this recipe, what are its complementary dishes?

I’ve compiled a collection of recipes that are both healthy and quick enough to prepare on a weeknight.

• NAPA CABBAGE STIR FRY

• NAPA CABBAGE STIR FRY
• FIVE-SPICE PORK ROLL (LOH BAK)
• ASIAN CUCUMBER SALAD
• ACAR AWAK

INGREDIENTS:

• Few sheets rinsed banana leaf, pat dry with paper towels
• 1 lb. (0.2 kg) cleaned red snapper, scales removed

GRILLED FISH SAMBAL:

• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 2 1/2 tsps. sugar, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 lime, extract juice
• 1 tablespoon toasted belacan, Malaysian shrimp paste
• 4 oz. (113 g) shallots
• 6 oz. (170 g) seeded fresh red chilies, cut into small pieces
• 2 lemongrass, cut into thin slices
• 4 tablespoons oil

SAMBAL BELACAN AND SLICED SHALLOTS CONDIMENT:

• Salt to taste
• 8 tablespoons water + tamarind pulp, size of a small ping pong ball
• 3 red chilies, seeded
• 2 bird’s eye chilies, seeded, optional
• 1 teaspoon toasted belacan
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Banana leaves spread out on a baking sheet
2. In a pan, place the fish.
3. Then top the fish with the sambal and spread it out evenly.
4. Increase the temperature and use a lid to keep the fish heated.
5. To keep the heat in, wrap a towel around the perimeter of the room.
6. Toss the fish on the other side and add additional sambal.

GRILLED FISH SAMBAL:

1. Use a food processor to grind the chiles, shallots, belacan, and lemongrass for the sambal. Make sure the sambal paste is thoroughly mixed and smooth before using it.
2. The sambal paste should be “tumis” (stir-fried) in a hot wok until fragrant or until the oil separates from the paste. Add the seasonings: salt, sugar, and fish sauce and mix them in quickly before serving.

SAMBAL BELACAN AND SLICED SHALLOTS CONDIMENT:

1. Boiling the tamarind pulp for 15 minutes will release the juices from the pulp. Pulverize or combine the red, bird’s eye, and toasted belacan chiles in a food processor or mortar and pestle. Simmer the sambal for a few minutes before serving. Put the mixture aside.

GRILLED FISH WITH BANANA LEAF:

1. Put a couple sheets of banana leaves in a flat pan (I used a Japanese tamagoyaki pan). On top of the banana leaves, sprinkle out 1 tablespoon of frying oil.
2. Add 3 tablespoons of sambal to the fish and place it on top of the banana leaves. Add a lid and heat the pan on the burner to medium-low. A cloth can cover the corners of the pan if the top doesn’t fit entirely. As the grill cooks, heat will be trapped inside the pan.
3. Flip the fish over after around 8 minutes of cooking time.
4. It’s time to make the opposite side even spicier. Cook for an additional 8-10 minutes. Burnt banana leaves and grilled fish fill the air by this point. Serve with sambal belacan and sliced shallots as a side dish right away.