Pecel Lele Lamongan with Spicy Sambal 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Ingredients:
For the Fried Catfish:
- 1 kg of catfish: cleaned thoroughly
- 2 limes: for juice
- Salt: to taste
- Oil: for frying
For the Marinade:
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1 young galangal (approx. 3 cm)
- 3 cm turmeric (or substitute with turmeric powder)
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
For the Lamongan Sambal:
- 15 red bird’s eye chilies
- 2 red curly chilies
- 6 shallots
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 5 candlenuts
- 2 packets of roasted ABC shrimp paste
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Seasoning: to taste
For the Nasi Uduk:
- 4 cups of rice
- 1 packet of Kara coconut milk (200 ml)
- Salt: to taste
- Water: as needed
- 2 stalks of lemongrass: crushed
- 1 pandan leaf: tied in a knot
- 5 bay leaves
Steps:
Preparing the Catfish:
- Clean the Catfish: Wash the catfish thoroughly and drain. Squeeze the juice of two limes over the fish and let it sit for 15 minutes. Rinse again and make a few slits on the fish.
- Marinate the Catfish: Blend the garlic, galangal, turmeric, and coriander seeds into a smooth paste. Rub the fish with this marinade and a pinch of salt. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
- Fry the Catfish: Heat a generous amount of oil in a pan until it is very hot. Fry the catfish on one side until it is crispy and golden brown, then flip and fry the other side until fully cooked. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
Making the Sambal:
- Prepare the Sambal Ingredients: Fry the red bird’s eye chilies, curly chilies, shallots, garlic, tomatoes, and candlenuts until they are cooked through. Roast the shrimp paste separately.
- Blend the Sambal: Pound or blend all the sambal ingredients, including the roasted shrimp paste, with salt, palm sugar, and a bit of water until you achieve a smooth consistency. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Cooking the Nasi Uduk:
- Prepare the Rice: Wash the rice thoroughly and place it in a rice cooker. Add the coconut milk, water (adjust the amount to match the usual water level for cooking white rice), lemongrass, pandan leaf, bay leaves, and salt.
- Cook the Rice: Turn on the rice cooker and let it cook until the rice is done. Once cooked, stir the rice to ensure it is fluffy and not clumped together.
Serving:
- Assemble the Dish: Serve a portion of nasi uduk on a plate. Top with fried shallots for extra flavor. Place a piece of the crispy fried catfish on the side, along with a generous helping of sambal. For a complete meal, add tempeh mendoan and a variety of fresh vegetables (lalapan).
Enjoy your Pecel Lele Lamongan with Spicy Sambal, a dish that’s bursting with flavor and perfect for any occasion! 🌟
