Recipe - Sutchi Fillet Otak Otak (Spicy Fish Cake)

Otak otak is another Peranakan dish, popular in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. It can be eaten as a snack on its own or as a side dish in a meal. Fish paste is used to make this dish. It got its name because the fish paste looks like the brain which is what otak otak literally means in Malay or Indonesian.

Sutchi fillet is perfect for this dish because the fillet is boneless. Let the frozen fillet thaw, then rub lightly with salt and rinse to get rid of the sea smell. I use an electric chopper to chop the fillet coarsely into a paste. Fish paste is also available at the supermarket.

The colour and the flavour come from the spice paste and the otak otak can be steam, grill or steam and grilled.

I use chicken cube instead of salt and sugar for flavouring. It is a short cut.

Ingredients for fish paste:
500 grams of sutchi fillet, coarsely blend into a paste.

Ingredients for spice paste
2 stalks lemon grass, finely chopped

chicken cube

2 large onions, coarsely chopped (or 6 shallots)
4 candle nuts
2 small red chillies (optional)
1 cm of fresh turmeric, finely chopped

Other Ingredients
1 egg
60 ml of coconut milk
1 chicken cube
2 banana leaves (if you do not have banana leaves, use a bowl for steaming or aluminium foil for grilling).

Method:
Blend the fish into a paste and put in a mixing bowl.
Blend the spice ingredients finely and put in the mixing bowl
Add the egg, coconut milk and chicken cube.
Mix all the ingredients well.
Spoon the mixture on the banana leaves.
Wrap the banana leaves, secure with a toothpick and steam for about 8 minutes.

Note: It is nicer to grill or pan fry the cooked otak otak for extra flavour. Pan frying or grilling will release the spice flavour.

 


This 5 minute video shows how to make otak otak



A 3 minute video cooking otak otak the traditional way



A nice video on making otak otak.