Otak-Otak Spice Paste

Otak-Otak Spice Paste

A fragrant blend of chiles, lemongrass, and turmeric that forms the backbone of grilled fish cakes.

Total 40 min Makes 16 oz Calories 68/serving

Dietary

Pescatarian, Wheat free, Dairy free, Halal

Allergens

Tree nuts, Shellfish

This rempah combines dried chiles, shallots, lemongrass, and candlenuts into a fragrant base used to season fish paste for otak-otak. Toasting and grinding the aromatics together deepens their flavor before they're cooked down with coconut milk, yielding a thick, reddish-orange paste ready to fold into minced fish and wrap in banana leaves.

Ingredients

  • 8 dried red chiles, stemmed and soaked in hot water
  • 4 fresh red chiles, roughly chopped
  • 8 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 4 stalks lemongrass, white part only, sliced thin
  • 1 tablespoon galangal, peeled and sliced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced
  • 4 candlenuts (or macadamia nuts)
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste (belacan)
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar, grated
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Method

  1. Drain the soaked dried chiles and combine with fresh chiles, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, and candlenuts in a food processor or mortar.

  2. Grind or pound the mixture into a smooth, fine paste, scraping down the sides as needed and adding a splash of water if it's too dry to blend.

  3. Heat the oil in a 9-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the ground paste along with the ground coriander and shrimp paste.

  4. Fry the paste, stirring frequently, until it darkens slightly, becomes fragrant, and the oil begins to separate from the mixture.

  5. Stir in the coconut milk, palm sugar, and salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until the paste thickens and no longer looks wet.

  6. Remove from heat and let the paste cool completely before using or storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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Otak-Otak Spice Paste

This rempah combines dried chiles, shallots, lemongrass, and candlenuts into a fragrant base used to season fish paste for otak-otak. Toasting and grinding the aromatics together deepens their flavor before they're cooked down with coconut milk, yielding a thick, reddish-orange paste ready to fold into minced fish and wrap in banana leaves.

40 min 16 oz 68 cal

Ingredients

  • 8 dried red chiles, stemmed and soaked in hot water
  • 4 fresh red chiles, roughly chopped
  • 8 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 4 stalks lemongrass, white part only, sliced thin
  • 1 tablespoon galangal, peeled and sliced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced
  • 4 candlenuts (or macadamia nuts)
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste (belacan)
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar, grated
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Method

  1. 1

    Drain the soaked dried chiles and combine with fresh chiles, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, and candlenuts in a food processor or mortar.

  2. 2

    Grind or pound the mixture into a smooth, fine paste, scraping down the sides as needed and adding a splash of water if it's too dry to blend.

  3. 3

    Heat the oil in a 9-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the ground paste along with the ground coriander and shrimp paste.

  4. 4

    Fry the paste, stirring frequently, until it darkens slightly, becomes fragrant, and the oil begins to separate from the mixture.

  5. 5

    Stir in the coconut milk, palm sugar, and salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until the paste thickens and no longer looks wet.

  6. 6

    Remove from heat and let the paste cool completely before using or storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.