Indonesian BBQ Prawn

Hi Everybody,

It's nearing the deadline of my submission to masak barang yuk cooking round up (see here).

This month theme is BBQ/Grilling. Well, I have several ideas to begin with, but I decided to go back to my root, yes, Indonesian.

I think it's a delicacy to pass on Indonesian cuisine to future generations and let it remain as long as possible. *not so little me aim to put my country in the culinary map!!* so here I am!! I chose this dish since it took me right to all those years I spent back then in Indonesia with my family every saturday night. We used to order quite a lot of seafood dishes, from grilled, boiled, and fried. All of them were DELISH!! And there were so cheap. I don't think you need additional fish oil, if you live in Indonesia.:) We are surrounded by abundant supplies!



However, I'd always love and like to believe that replicating those species and dishes will take me years, due to the level of complexity, or is it just me who is always put off easily to try??!! So, I conquerred my fear.. I tried to render down some of the species based on my memory, and I think it's quite close. Once you master this, you can modify the recipe as you desire :).

I want to welcome you all to my memory, and my heritage.... I hope you give it a try! :D

Indonesian BBQ Prawn

by Ayu Liana and Devi Liana

Ingredients :

20 king prawns or 2 medium fishes (snapper)

6 tbsp Indonesian kecap manis

2 tbsp oil

Juice of half a lime

Wet Species :

5 candle nuts, toasted

2 tsp coriander seed, toasted

1/2 tsp turmeric

3 kaffir lime leaves

2 bird eyes chilies

1/2 medium onion

4 cloves garlic

2 tbsp water

2-3 tsp salt

black pepper

Sambal:

1/2 brown onion, chopped roughly

1 whole chili, chopped roughly

5-6 tbsp Indonesian kecap manis

1 tbsp shop bought sambal cobek (see here) *depending on how spicy you want it to be*

1 tbsp lime juice

Directions:

1. Blend or pound the wet species until they become a smooth paste

2. Clean the prawns (see here, to see the full video), or If you use fish, clean them, and butterfly them

3. Massage the wet species onto the flesh of fish or prawns, let it marinade for 20-30 minutes

4. Meanwhile, mix the lime juice, oil, and kecap manis until just combined

5. Heat up the grill or BBQ, and baste the prawn or fish with kecap manis mixture

6. Place it on the grill with flesh side down for prawn, and skin side down for fish.

7. Baste the other side of the prawn and fish with kecap manis mixture

8. Grill until it cooks through.

9. Serve it with sambal *I warn you, it's a must*

Sambal :

1. Combine everything together, you may also adjust the kecap manis, depending on how sweet or hot you want it to be.

Notes: 

1. You can make the species weeks or days ahead if that makes your life easier. Just stash them in the freezer, and thaw when you have cleaned all the prawns and fishes by just putting it in a bowl of cold water.

No mess, no fuss. 

2. For the shop bought sambal cobek, you may find it at your nearest Asian groceries, or you can substitute with bird eyes chili, or any chilies you prefer. 

Love,