Mangut Ikan Asap (Java Style Smoked Fish Cooked in Spiced Coconut Milk) Recipe

It's the renew picture of my mangut before.  At that time, I used ikan kembung (Indian mackarel or known as short body mackerel).  However, it still tastes different when you make it with smoked fish.



This dish is a popular dish among the Javanese.  Mangut is usually added by smoked stingray fish which is really hard to get here.  The only stingrays I saw were at pet stores. For those who live in Asia and Spain, you have a better access to get this stingray as consumed fish not a pet.  Hence, I used smoked milkfish (bandeng) that is available at Asian markets.



The thing that I love about mangut is smocky and kencur (kaempferia galanga) smell blend together.  Not to forget the chili pepper taste :D



If you are new to my blog, I often cook with kencur (known as cekur in Malaysia and pro hom in Thailand) once I make the Balinese and Javanese foods.



Another ingredient that we often use in cooking is bilimbi (belimbing sayur/wuluh).  This small green fruit gives a tart taste into Indonesian cooking.  Honestly, I didn't have any fresh bilimbis as I only get an access for frozen ones.  Those who live in North America, try to look for it in the Filipino markets  and it's labeled as kamias.





Mangut Ikan Asap

- Java Style Smoked Fish Cooked in Spiced Coconut Milk -

 

Ingredients:

454 grams (1 lb) smoked fish

1 1/2 cups tofu cubes about 2.5x2.5x1 cms (1x1x0.4 inches)

1 1/2 cups tempe/tempeh cubes about 2.5x2.5x1 cms (1x1x0.4 inches)

1 medium English cucumber (timun krai), angle cut



Mangut spices to grind:

1-2 tbsps ground long red cayenne peppers (I usually grind fresh long red peppers once a while, put in a jar, and store in the freezer)

3 toasted candlenuts

2.5 centimeters (1 inches) long kencur, peeled (or can be substituted for 1 teaspoon kencur powder)

4 shallots (in Indonesia, you might need 6 shallots)

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp terasi (dried shrimp paste)



Other Ingredients:

3 centimeters (1.2 inches) long galangal, bruised

3 Indonesian bay (salam) leaves

1 L (1 quart) medium thick coconut milk*

seasalt to season

6 bilimbis (Indonesian: belimbing sayur), angle cut with 1 centimeter (0.4 inch) thickness

5 green chilies, angle cut

10 bird eyes chilies

extra virgin olive or coconut oil



Directions:

1. Broil smoked fish before using in the recipe about 5 minutes. Flip the fish and broil for another 5 minutes.  Cut into 3 pieces for each whole.



2. In a skillet, heat the cooking oil at medium-high. Add galangal, salam leaves, and ground spices. Stir fry until fragrant.



3. Add coconut milk, tofu and tempe.  Season with seasalt.  Cook until spices absorb.



4. Add bilimbi, English cucumber, green chilies and smoked fish pieces. Bring to a boil and cook until cucumbers are wilted. Toss bird eye chilies in and remove from heat. Serve with warmed rice.