Ingredients:

  • 500 grams blue tail mullet (or other fish/chicken)
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 cm fresh turmeric (or 1 tsp ground turmeric)
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 5 cloves shallots, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 big red cayenne peppers, thinly sliced
  • 2 big green cayenne peppers, thinly sliced
  • 5 red friggiteli peppers (2 thinly sliced, 3 whole)
  • 2 cm fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 cm fresh galangal (or more ginger), grated
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons miso (fermented soybean)
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon chicken powder (optional)
  • ½ cup water
  • Oil for frying and sautéing

Instructions:

  1. Gather and prepare all ingredients on your kitchen table.
  2. Using a mortar and pestle or food processor, create a purée of turmeric, coriander seeds, garlic, and salt.
  3. In a bowl, combine fish with lime juice, spice purée, and 4 tablespoons of water. Let marinate for 15 minutes.
  4. Heat oil in a pan and fry the marinated fish until golden brown and crispy, about 3-5 minutes per side.
  5. In a wok, heat oil and sauté shallots, garlic, and peppers until golden and fragrant. Add ginger and galangal—cook for an additional minute.
  6. Stir in water, bay leaf, brown sugar, miso, and chicken powder (if using). Boil until wilted, about 2 minutes.
  7. Place crispy fish on a serving plate and pour the spicy miso sauce over it.