Sambal Stingray Recipes

SAMBAL STINGRAY

Steps:

• Blend sambal paste. In a blender, combineshallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and red chillies, dried chillies and belacan till smooth.
• Fry sambal paste. Heat up a pan with oil. Stir fry sambal paste over medium heat till fragrant and colour darkens (about 15 min). Add palm sugar. Stir fry until dissolved. Add tamarind water and salt. Stir fry till oil separates. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Remove from heat. Leave to cool.
• Grill stingray. Heat up a grill pan. Place a banana leaf on grill pan, lightly brush with oil. Place stingray on leaf, white side up. Spread a layer of sambal on top. Grill till 70%-80% cooked, or banana leaf is toasted. (about 7 min depending on thickness). Cover the grill pan if possible. Remove the leaf and fish from heat. Place a newbanana leaf on grill pan, drizzle it with oil. Flip fish onto it and spread more sambal on top. Grill till fully cooked and sambal is sizzling and slightly charred (about 6-8min).

SPICY GRILLED FISH

Steps:

• Prepare the sambal by grinding chilies, shallots, belacan and lemongrass in a food processor. Make sure the sambal paste is well blended and smooth.
• Heat up a wok and add the oil. "Tumis" (stir-fry) the sambal paste until aromatic or when the oil separates from the sambal paste. Add the seasonings: salt, fish sauce and sugar and do a quick stirs, dish out and set aside.
• Soak the tamarind pulp with the water for 15 minutes and extract the juice. In a mortar and pestle or food processor, pound/blend the red chilies, bird's eye chilies and toasted belacan. Add tamarind juice, sugar, salt, and sliced shallots to the sambal. Stir well and set aside.
• Lay a few sheets of banana leaves and grease the surface of the banana leaves with some oil. Lay the fish fillet on top of the banana leaves and rub the turmeric powder on both sides of the fish. Add about 2 - 3 tablespoons of sambal on top of the fish. Spread the sambal evenly. Drizzle the lime juice on the fish.
• Place the fish on top of the grill (upper rack with indirect heat) and cover the grill. Wait for 8 minutes or so (depending on the heat) and flip the fish over to the other side.
• Add 2 - 3 more tablespoons of sambal on the other side of the fish. Cook for another 8 minutes or until the fish is cooked.
• Transfer the fish and the banana leaves to the lower rack and grill for a couple of minutes with direct heat, or when you smell the sweet aroma of burnt banana leaves.
• Transfer out and serve immediately with sambal belacan and sliced shallots condiment.

SAMBAL STINGRAY IN BANANA LEAF

Steps:

• Make the sambal: In separate bowls, soak the chilies and the dried shrimp in water to cover for 10 minutes, then drain. Remove and discard stems and seeds from the chilies.
• In a blender, combine the chilies, shrimp and remaining sambal ingredients, except the oil, with 1/2 cup water. Blend until finely chopped but not smooth. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the sambal. Cook, stirring often, until it is moist, thick and dark red, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed to prevent scorching.
• Cook the fish: Rinse and dry the fish and sprinkle it with salt. Heat a grill to high, or place a heavy skillet (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Spread one side of the fish with a thin layer of sambal. Place a banana leaf on grill (or in skillet), drizzle lightly with vegetable oil and place the fish on top, sambal side up. Cover grill or pan and cook about 8 minutes, until the banana leaf is toasted and the sambal is dry and fragrant. Remove the leaf and fish from the heat. Place a new banana leaf on grill or in pan, drizzle it with oil, flip fish onto it and spread more sambal on top. Cover and cook another 6 to 8 minutes, until cooked through.
• Place another leaf on a platter. Flip the fish onto it, spoon more sambal over the top and garnish with lemon and onion slices and cilantro sprigs. To serve whole skate, slide the fish off the spine with a spoon.