Otak Otak or Spicy Fish Cakes

INGREDIENTS

• 650 gm (1 1/2 lb) whole Spanish mackerel
• 3 tbs vegetable oil
• 2 coconuts, grated or (1 1/2 cups pure coconut cream from packets or cans)
• One egg - lightly beaten
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 4 tbs sugar
• 8 kaffir lime leaves
  Ingredietns for spice mix
  
• 4 candlenuts
• 20 dried chillies
• 40 gm galangal or 3 tsp powdered galangal
• 2 to 3cm fresh turmeric root or 3/4 tsp powdered turmeric
• 2 tablespoons crisp shallot flakes
• 1 stalk lemon grass
• 2 square inches by 3/4 inch thick piece of shrimp paste (belacan)
• 10 shallots
• 1 tbs toasted coriander seed powder

• Fillet fish (or have the fishmonger do it for you)
• Grind the meat finely in a food processor
• Put into a large bowl
• Wash candlenuts, cut off stalks of the dried chillies
• Soak in warm water till softened for about 30 minutes, remove then drain
• Cut off the skin of the galangal and turmeric root and peel shallots
• Trim lemon grass
• Cut all the spices into pieces
• Pound or grind the first 7 ingredients of the spice mix till fine
• Add the shallots last as a binding agent, then add the coriander powder
• Squeeze the grated coconut for cream then strain to get the cream
• Alternative: use one packet of coconut powder, adding enough water to make 1 cup (Or 1 1/2 cups processed coconut milk)
• Heat wok, add oil, then add spice paste
• Stir fry 5 minutes till oil exudes and the mixture is fragrant
• Remove central vein of the double-leafed kaffir lime leaf and slcie very finely
• Mix the spices with the minced fish meat, salt and sugar
• Add the kaffir lime leaves
• Grease an 8-inch cake tin and put the fish mixture in
• Smoothen the top with the back of a grease spoon
• Bake in a bain marie (loaf tin) in a pre-heated oven at 150-175 degree C (300-350 degree F) for 20-25 minutes till skewer comes out clean when it is put into the centre of the fish cake
• Serve either hot or cold with plain white rice