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What You Need:
(To Serve: 4)
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A 2-pound mackerel, cleaned, with head and tail removed
4 cups plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ cups finely chopped onions
2 medium-sized garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh hot green chilies
1½ teaspoons scraped, finely grated fresh ginger root
¾ cup yellow bean paste or thick bean sauce (see Glossary)
1 teaspoon sugar
1½ cups fresh coconut milk made from 1½ cups coarsely chopped coconut and 1½ cups hot water
1 large green bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and cut into thin rings
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Translate this recipe:
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Ask the fish dealer to bone and flatten the mackerel, or do it yourself in the following way: Wash the fish under cold running water and pat it completely dry with paper towels.
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2. Spread the fish open, then cut along both sides of the backbone and when it is free from the flesh lift it out. Place the mackerel between 2 sheets of wax paper and pound it gently with the side of a cleaver to flatten it.
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3. In a heavy 12-inch skillet, heat 4 cups of the oil over high heat until it is very hot, but not smoking. The oil should be at least 1 inch deep; if necessary, add more.
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4. Place the fish skin side down in the hot oil and fry it for 5 minutes. Turn it gently with a slotted spatula, and continue frying for about 5 minutes longer, or until it is richly browned on both sides. Transfer the fish to paper towels to drain.
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5. Preheat the oven to 350°. Pour off the frying oil and wash and dry the skillet thoroughly. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and heat it over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it.
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6. Drop in the onions, garlic, chilies and ginger and, stirring frequently, cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and transparent but not brown. Watch carefully for any sign of burning and regulate the heat accordingly.
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7. Add the bean paste and sugar and stir for 2 or 3 minutes. Mix in the coconut milk and cook, stirring frequently and regulating the heat so that the sauce does not boil rapidly, until the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape lightly in a spoon.
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8. Place the fish flesh side up in a shallow baking-serving dish large enough to hold it comfortably. Arrange the green pepper rings in a long rowan top of the mackerel, overlapping them slightly, and pour the simmering sauce over them.
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9. Bake uncovered in the middle of the oven, basting the fish occasionally with the sauce, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the fish is tender but still intact and the sauce very thick. If the sauce seems to be thickening to a paste, thin it by adding up to ¼ cup boiling water, a few tablespoons at a time.
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10. Serve the fish directly from the baking dish, accompanied if you like by hot boiled rice.
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