Percik Ikan Pelaling - Indian Mackerel with Spicy Coconut Milk Sauce

One day, I was craving for Ikan Percik which I think the last time cooked the dish was before I got married. Most probably it was when I was student that is almost ten years ago. Last week, I cooked it for our weekend lunch and it was hit. I manage to snap the picture of it right before the last piece of fish gone. Enjoy the recipe!

Grilling the fish:

4 Indian mackerel fish

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. turmeric powder

Ingredients for the sauce:

Cooking oil - for stir frying

2 1/2 cups thick coconut milk

1 Red Chilies - sliced

1 turmeric leaves - sliced

1 Sour slice

Sugar to taste

Salt to taste

Spices to blend finely altogether -

1 medium stalk lemongrass

4 shallots

2 garlic cloves

5 stalk dried chilies,

1/2 inch cube ginger

1/2 inch cube fresh turmeric

Preparing:

1. Rub fish with salt and turmeric powder. Grill on a hot skillet until half cooked.
2. While fish is grilling, heat oil in a pan and stir fry the spices' mix until fragrant. Add in the coconut milk and let it simmer for a few minutes.
3. Add in sour slice. Add turmeric leaf and red chili into the sauce and season with salt and sugar. Let it simmer until the sauce has been reducing to slightly under a cup.
4. Transfer the thicken sauce over the grilling fish. Turn over fish to make sure the fish is fully cover with sauce.
5. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Serve with steam rice.