Fried Catfish with Chilli Sambal

Name: Fried Catfish with Chilli Sambal
Ingredients: 2 pc pieces / 500 gr/ 1 lb catfish, cleaned, washed; oil for deep-frying; 3 gloves garlic; 2 cm fresh turmeric (or 1 tsp turmeric powder); 1 tbsp coriander powder; 2 tbsp salt or to taste; 3 pc large red chilli, raughly chopped; 5 pc small red chillies / bird chillies; 3 pc shallots; 1 glove garlic; 1 tsp roasted shrimp paste/ terasi; 1 pc middle size tomato, raughly chopped; ½ tsp sugar; 1 tsp salt or to taste

Origin: Lamongan- East Java Province

Ingredients

2 pc pieces / 500 gr/ 1 lb catfish, cleaned, washed
oil for deep-frying

Marinating paste

3 gloves garlic
2 cm fresh turmeric or 1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
2 tbsp salt or to taste

Dried Shrimp Paste Sambal

3 pc large red chilli, raughly chopped
5 pc small red chillies / bird chillies
3 pc shallots
1 glove garlic
1 tsp roasted shrimp paste/ terasi
1 pc middle size tomato, raughly chopped
½ tsp sugar
1 tsp salt or to taste

Fried Catfish with Chilli Sambal

This is one of street dishes in East Java region: Pecel Lele. Pecel is actually refers to Sambal Pecel, a Peanut Sauce/ dressing which usually served with blanched vegetables. But Pecel here means other than this reference. Pecel Lele is a special dish which originated from Lamongan, a municipal city in East Java Province where the famous "Soto Lamongan" comes from.

Pecel Lele is a side dish which comprises of Crispy Fried Catfish, serve together with spicy sambal and raw vegetables/salad. But why the name have similarity with Sambal Pecel/ Peanut Dressing, I also have no idea???!!

But one thing I can assure you, this is a delicious side dish that I'd love to cook again and again ha ha 😉 A yummy & crunchy fried catfish with

HOT & SPICY sambal hmmmmmmmmmmm… a mouth watering Indonesian delicacy !!!!

Instructions

Marinating and Frying the Fish: Clean & discard the fish innard & wash throughly ( rub with lime juice/tamarinde to get rid from fish mucus). Set aside to drain.
Grind garlic, turmeric, coriander & salt with stone mortar & pestle into smooth paste.
(If you use blender instead mortar, add litlle bit water from 250 ml water to help the blending process).
Transfer the mixture in a bowl, add 250 ml water (or rest of water )& stir to mix.
Adjust the seasoning liquid, add more sat if necessary. Transfer the fish into the bowl, rub around the fishes with the spaice mixture & let aside for 15 minutes to marinate.
Heat 500 ml or enough oil. Rub the catfish with the marianting paste then deep-fry the fish until crispy goldbrown. Set aside to drain.
Making Sambal Terasi Goreng: Heat 5 tbsp oil in a wok or saucepan over medium heat.
Fry chilli, shallot, garlic & tomato till just soften. (Do not fry the chilli too long otherwise they will be too hard to grind).
Transfer all fried ingredients onto grinding stone (or mortar & pestle) and grind until smooth.
Add the dried shrimp paste, pound it together to mix. Adjust the sesoning. Add salt & sugar to taste.
(If possible use grinding stone not blender. One meal sambal is to be made traditionally to get the best-authentic taste).
Serve Your Fried Catfish with rice, sambal terasi & raw vegetables (ex: cucumber, lettuce & lemon basil)