Lele Kuah Kuning (Catfish in Yellow Coconut Curry)
Ingredients:
- 4 catfish (lele), cleaned and filleted
- Thin coconut milk (santan cair)
- Thick coconut milk (santan kental)
- Ground coriander (ketumbar bubuk)
- Ground pepper (lada bubuk)
Spice Paste (Bumbu Halus):
- 5 shallots (bawang merah)
- 2 cloves of garlic (bawang putih)
- 5 curly red chilies (cabe merah keriting)
- 1 segment of turmeric (kunyit)
- 3 candlenuts (kemiri)
Complementary Ingredients:
- 1 segment of ginger (jahe)
- 2 bay leaves (daun salam)
- 2 kaffir lime leaves (daun jeruk)
- 10 bird’s eye chilies (cabe rawit), fried (optional if you like it spicy)
- Sugar
- Salt
- A pinch of seasoning powder (optional)
Steps:
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Prepare the Fish:
- Clean and fillet the catfish. Sprinkle the fillets with ground coriander, salt, and ground pepper. Let them sit for a while.
- Fry the fillets until they are dry and crispy. Set aside.
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Make the Spice Paste:
- Blend the shallots, garlic, curly red chilies, turmeric, and candlenuts until smooth.
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Cook the Curry:
- In a pot, heat a little oil and sauté the spice paste until it becomes fragrant.
- Add a little water, bay leaves, ginger, and the fried bird’s eye chilies if using. Stir well.
- Add the fried catfish fillets to the pot and mix to allow the flavors to penetrate the fish.
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Add Coconut Milk:
- Pour in the thin coconut milk and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add the thick coconut milk.
- Season with sugar, salt, and a pinch of seasoning powder if desired. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
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Serve:
- Once the curry is well-cooked and the flavors have melded together, serve hot with steamed rice.
Enjoy your delicious Lele Kuah Kuning, a comforting and flavorful Indonesian dish that pairs perfectly with a bowl of warm rice.
