Grilled Fish Sambal Dabu-dabu (Ikan Bakar Sambal Dabu-dabu)

Grilled fish or Ikan bakar is very popular in Indonesia, especially in Sulawesi and Maluku where most of the people work as the seaman/fisherman. Ikan bakar sambal dabu-dabu is a speciality from Gorontalo (Nothern Sulawesi), which is grilled fish served with special chillies salad called 'sambal dabu-dabu'

Ingredients

- 1 medium fish (you can use any fish like seabass or ikan kakap, indian mackarel or ikan tude, Silver/White Pomfrets or ikan Bawal)

For Marinate

* 1st marinate :
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt

** 2nd marinate :
- 4 garlics
- 4 candlenuts, pan-broil
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1/2 cube chicken bouillon
- 1/2 teaspoon popper powder
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil

For sambal dabu-dabu (chillies salad)
- 2 big red chillies
- 3 or more small chillies (cabe rawit)
- 4-5 small tomatoes
- 3 shallots
- lime juice
- pinch of salt
- 4 leafs fresh lime basil (daun kemangi) - optional;

Directions
1. Marinate the fish with 1st marinate. Leave it for 30 minutes.
2. After 30 minutes, clean the fish with water so it won't be too sour.
3. Blend all the ingredients to make paste, then marinate the fish with it. Leave the fish for 1 hour or so ... the more the better.
4. Grill the fish in the oven or charcoal.
5. For sambal dabu: thinly cut the chillies, shallots, and tomatoes thinny. Put them in a bowl, then add salt, lime juice and olive oil.
6. Serving suggestion : pour the sambal dabu over the grilled fish, and serve with steamed rice.

tasty-indonesian-food.com