Ikan Pepes

Fish wrapped in banana leaf with spice paste and grilled.

Ingredients

• 800 g White fish
• 6 Shallots
• 5 cloves Garlic
• 1 tbsp Turmeric
• 2 tbsp Ginger
• 4 Chilies
• 2 stalks Lemongrass
• 4 Lime leaves
• 6 Banana leaves
• 1 tbsp Tamarind paste
• 2 tsp Salt

Method

1. Make the paste — Pound the shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger, chili and lemongrass into a fine paste.
2. Coat the fish — Rub the paste over and inside the fish with tamarind and salt.
3. Wrap — Lay on softened banana leaves with lime leaves and fold into a sealed parcel, pinning it closed.
4. Steam then grill — Steam 20 minutes, then finish over coals for 8 minutes so the leaf chars and perfumes the fish.
5. Ikan Pepes is ready — Open at the table and serve with rice.

More Timor-Leste recipes

• Tukir
• Batar Da'an