Charred Ikan Bakar with Sambal Matah
Whole grilled fish brushed with a fiery garlic-chili paste, then topped with crispy shallot-lime sambal. Ready in under 20 minutes with maximum smoky flavor.
- Total time
- 18 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 320
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 2 fish (1 lb each) whole white fish (sea bass, snapper, or mackerel), scaled and gutted
- 3 whole red chilies, halved and seeded
- 4 cloves garlic cloves
- 3 medium shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 whole limes, divided
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
Instructions
- 1
Pound chilies and garlic in a mortar or chop finely until paste forms, ~2 minutes.
- 2
Rub chili paste inside and all over both fish. Season skin with salt and pepper.
- 3
Heat a grill pan or cast iron skillet over high heat for 2 minutes until smoking.
- 4
Place fish on hot pan. Sear 4 minutes per side without moving until skin chars and flesh flakes.
- 5
Toss sliced shallots, juice of 1 lime, fish sauce, and sugar in a small bowl to make sambal.
- 6
Slide fish onto a plate, spoon sambal over top, squeeze remaining lime, and serve hot.
Tools you’ll need
- mortar and pestle or chef's knife
- 12-inch grill pan or cast iron skillet
- small mixing bowl
- tongs
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