Fish Otak Otak (Spicy Fish Mousse)

HAPPY CHAP GOH MEH or Happy Chinese Valentine Day! Today is the 15th day of the Chinese Lunar Year and also the last day to celebrate the Chinese Lunar Year

Hmmmm, Yum! Yum! I just love my grandma's homemade fish otak otak or some sort of spicy fish mousse. I have "inherited" the recipe from my mum and enjoy making it for the family. It taste great as compared to those commercial ones found in the frozen corners. The great difference between home cooked and commercial ones are the wonderful aroma of banana leaf and daun kaduk when it is cooked. It is a great appetizer.

Otak Otak is one of the Nyonya dishes served either wrapped in small package form with banana leaf or can be served in a tray with the banana leave underlining it. I am not good in wrapping, so I took the alternative choice of steaming in a tray.




Simple Ingredients :

1 big piece of fish cutlet - debone and cut into pieces
6 pieces red chilly
4 stalks lemon grass (serai)
10 shallots
2 thumbsize fresh tumeric
1 thumbsize belacan (shrimp paste)
3 eggs
1/2 cup coconut cream
10 pieces daun kaduk (wild pepper leaves)



Simple Process :

1. Line the steaming tray with a piece of banana leaf and on top of it lay the 10 pieces daun kaduk.

2. Spread the pieces of fish on top of the daun kaduk.

3. Next, blend the chilly, lemon grass, shallots, tumeric, shrimp paste with 1/2 cup water in a blender.

4. Use a big bowl to beat up the eggs, then add in the coconut cream and the blended chilly mixture. Mix well, add salt, a little sugar to taste.

5. Lastly pour the combined mixtures into the tray and cover it with a aluminium foil (to prevent dripping water when steaming). Just make sure the mixtures covers the fish.

6. Pre heat the steamer before steaming, steam the tray of otak otak for 25 minutes and it is ready to serve.