Ikan Kembung Masak Kecap: Indian Mackerel in Sweet Soy Sauce

Method13 steps · about 1 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: Gut and clean the fish, then marinate in a little salt and either lime juice or vinegar for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.

   Marinate mackerel · 15 minUses 500 g fresh Indian mackerel (around 4 small fish) · A little salt for marinade · Lime juice, a little for fish marinade (or choose vinegar) · Vinegar, a little instead of lime juice for fish marinade

2. 2

   Step 2: Wash the fish one more time over running water to remove the vinegar and excess salt. Pat dry with a paper towel.

   Uses salt-and-acid marinated mackerel

3. 3

   Step 3: Heat enough oil for deep frying in a wok over medium heat.

   Uses Cooking oil as needed for fish deep frying

4. 4

   Step 4: Deep-fry the fish until golden brown, about 10–15 minutes, and cooked through to 63°C (145°F), or opaque and flaking easily. Set the fish aside.

   Deep fry fish · 15 minUses patted-dry mackerel · hot fish-frying oil

5. 5

   Step 5: Remove the oil from the deep frying and clean the wok.

   Uses used oil remaining in the wok

6. 6

   Step 6: Put 2 tbsp oil in the wok and heat it over medium high heat.

   Uses 2 tbsp cooking oil, for sautéing aromatics

7. 7

   Step 7: Sautee the shallots (5), garlic (3 cloves), ginger (2 cm), galangal (2 cm), lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves (3) and salam leaf (1) until fragrant (around 4 minutes).

   Sauté mackerel aromatics · 4 minUses heated fresh sauté oil · 5 shallots, peeled, thinly sliced · 3 cloves garlic, peeled, thinly sliced · 2 cm ginger, peeled, thinly sliced · 2 cm fresh galangal, thinly sliced · 1 lemongrass stalk, removed the outer layers, bruised, cut into 3 cm pieces · 3 kaffir lime leaves · 1 salam leaf

8. 8

   Step 8: Add the chopped tomato (1), fry for 1 minute.

   Fry tomato · 1 minUses fried aromatics · 1 tomato, chopped

9. 9

   Step 9: Add water (200 ml).

   Uses fried tomato and aromatics · 200 ml water

10. 10

    Step 10: Add salt (to taste) and the sweet soy sauce. Stir all the ingredients.

    Uses tomato-aromatic broth · Salt to taste for sauce · 4 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)

11. 11

    Step 11: Add the chillies.

    Uses sweet-soy fish sauce · 10 bird’s eye chillies, remove the stalk

12. 12

    Step 12: Add the fish and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes until the liquid is mostly reduced and the sauce thickens.

    Simmer until reduced · 15 minUses sweet-soy sauce with chillies · deep-fried mackerel

13. 13

    Step 13: Transfer the dish onto a serving plate.

    Uses finished mackerel in thickened sweet-soy sauce