One of the most beloved Peranakan dishes is ikan cili garam, where freshly fried fish is topped with a fragrant chilli mixture. At first glance, this dish might appear to be nothing more than fried fish topped with chopped chillies and onions. But anyone who grew up eating this dish in a Peranakan household knows that it is far more than that.

With Bibik Jee’s Cili Garam, much of that work is already done for you. All you need to do is fry your favourite fish, spoon the cili garam over the top, and you’re ready to serve. It saves time, but still delivers that same fragrant, slightly spicy, slightly sweet kick that makes everyone reach for another scoop of rice. 

Ingredients

• 1 Jenak tail (around 500g) or any other preferred fish , cleaned
• 1 tsp salt
• Cooking oil (enough for deep frying)
• Spring onions (optional garnish)

Steps

1. Clean and prepare the fish, pat it dry with paper towel and score the fish with 2-3 diagonal cuts on each side for better heat penetration.
2. Rub the fish with salt.
3. Heat oil in medium to high heat in a wok or deep pan. Dip a wooden chopstick in the olive oil and when you see bubbles forming, then it is ready for frying. The oil should be deep enough to cover at least half the fish.
4. Slide the fish into the hot oil, and fry for 5-7 minutes without moving it. Moving it too early may cause the skin to tear and the fish to break apart. 
5. Once a crust is formed, gently flip the fish using a spatula and fry the other side for another 4-5 minutes. The fish should turn golden brown and crispy.
6. Place the fish onto a plate and drizzle a generous amount of BibikJee's Cili Garam on the fish and garnish with some spring onion strips.
7. Enjoy with a bowl of hot steaming rice!

Note: Feel free to substitute Jenak with any fish of your liking like ikan Tenggiri (Spanish Mackerel), Pomfret, Ikan Kurau, or occasionally Ikan Parang.