Banana leaf is not merely nature’s placemat. Asian cooks use it like plastic wrap, foil, and parchment paper. The beauty of using banana leaf is that it imparts a wonderful tea-leaf like scent to food during the cooking process. It’s kinda like the Southeast Asian version of French cooking en papillote (in paper)!
In the Vietnamese kitchen, banana leaf perfumes silky sausages and headcheese and many dumplings. But we seldom wrap large whole fish in banana leaf and grill it like our Southeast Asian brothers and sisters tend to do. Fresh lotus leaves, which are huge and easy to wrap with, is more typically used. Or, you use mud to encase the whole fish, usually freshwater snakehead fish (ca loc in Vietnamese). Or, you just grill the fish in a wire frame basket.
But who has fresh lotus leaves and mud at their disposal? Or the right size wire basket? Not me.
The other night, I thought of a wonderful lunch of grilled whole fish that I enjoyed with Robyn Eckhardt and David Hagerman in Kuala Lumpur in 2008. It was served with a briny-spicy-sweet dipping sauce made of funky shrimp paste, sweet kecap manis soy sauce, and chiles. A terrific harmony of Malaysian ingredients.
Wanting to recapture those flavors, I found a similar recipe in Christopher Tan’s Singaporean cookbook, Shiok! Chris is among the leading experts on Southeast Asian foodways and I trust him immensely. His ikan panggang recipe was modestly called “Barbecued Fish” in English. The flavors were fabulously big. I’ve adapted Chris’s recipe here for you.
Grilled Whole Fish in Banana Leaf
Ikan Panggang
Use rock cod, trout, sea bass -- the freshest fish you can get a hold
of. Don't want to cook whole fish? Try fillets but watch the cooking time! This is a super speedy, easy dish to prepare if you have the following around:
- Banana leaf in the freezer. (You can thaw it in minutes.)
- Pre-toasted belacan/blanchan shrimp paste in the fridge. (You don’t have to toast it and stink up the house.)
- Kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) in the pantry.
All three of these ingredients are sold at an Asian market. If you don’t have the shrimp paste or kecap manis, then make a basic Vietnamese nuoc cham dipping sauce. The ginger tamarind dipping sauce recipe in the “Basics” chapter of Into the Vietnamese Kitchen is extra good.
And, if you’re new to banana leaves, review “Banana Leaf Basics” posted on my other site, Asian Dumpling Tips.
Serves 4 as a main dish
Dipping Sauce
1 ½ to 2 teaspoons toasted belancan/blanchan shrimp paste
4 large moderately hot red chiles, such as Holland or Fresno, stemmed and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
About 3 tablespoons kecap manis or thick dark sweet soy sauce (also try mixing soy sauce with molasses)
About 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
A 3-pound whole fish, gutted (net weight is about 2 ½ pounds)
Salt
Fish sauce
Oil
2 pieces banana leaves, each about 25 percent longer and wider than the fish
1 lime, cut into wedges
1. Break up the shrimp paste into smaller pieces, roughly the size of a pinky fingernail. Put it into a mini chopper with the chiles and garlic. Grind to a coarse texture. Add the soy sauce and lime juice. Process again until well blended. Transfer to a small bowl, taste, and if needed, add extra soy sauce and lime juice to downplay the spunkiness of the shrimp paste. Set at the table.
Note that these chiles are "Holland" variety. I keep them in the freezer.
The pre-toasted belancan/blanchan is the taupe-colored dryish looking stuff.
2. Preheat a gas grill or ready a grill to cook at medium-high heat. Meanwhile, wash the fish and pat it dry. Use scissors to remove any hard looking fins that may poke you later at the table.
Make two deep, diagonal slashes across the thickest part of the fish. Do this on both sides of the fish. Sprinkle with salt, including the belly of the fish. Rub a little fish sauce all of the fish, then rub oil on the fish. Set the fish on one piece of banana leaf.
3. When the grill is hot, put the banana leaf and fish on the grill. How much time it takes to cook the fish depends on the thickness of the fish. My general rule for grilling fish: 10 to 12 minutes for each inch. If your fish is 2 inches thick at its fattest place, cook for each side for 10 to 12 minutes, a total of 20 to 24 minutes.
To flip the fish over and remove it from the grill easily later, put the remaining piece of banana leaf atop the fish. Then use two wide spatulas (hold them like you’re tossing a salad) to flip the fish over. Cook for the remainder period of time. To test for doneness, take a knife and poke at the flesh near the bone. If it flakes easily, the fish is cooked.
4. Transfer to a platter and serve immediate with lime wedges and the dipping sauce. Enjoy with rice and stir-fried vegetable. Or, wrap pieces of fish in lettuce leaf and dunk in the sauce.
Related links: Rasa Malaysia has a nice version of ikan panggang too.
sunflower says
Ikan = fish, Panggang = grill or chargrill
Love ikan panggang. We like it slathered with a spicy sambal spice paste then wrap in banana leaf and throw on the bbq. Great with skate wings.
Here is my version http://sunflower-recipes.blogspot.com/search?q=ikan+panggang
Andrea Nguyen says
Sunflower-- Thanks for adding the link to your recipe! You know what you're doing.
Translating food terms is a skill. You have to balance the literal with the poetic so that people who are unfamiliar with something will get it. Oy. 🙂
Belinda @zomppa says
This looks sooooooooooo good. I wish it was easier to find banana leaves here! I will just have to drool over yours.
Jenny says
Looks like delicious, I think that fish is delicious on fried too.
Based on my knowledge Vietnamese love to eat fish =)
Risk and Compliance says
Banana leaf will bring the special favor of the fish. SO jealous you we can not find this kind of fish in Mel
camera cell phone says
fish is very nice and have much nutrition. I love it
Rena Takahashi says
Andrea, I'm going to bookmark this for when our banana tree gets bigger. We just purchased two banana trees for our yard here in Cupertino (next door to San Jose, CA). Yamagami's Nursery (and I'm sure others in the bay area) just stocked a handful of varieties that will grow in our area. They might need to be covered during frosts, but otherwise should do okay.
Andrea Nguyen says
Rena: How cool! I grew up with fresh banana leaves. You're lucky.
haberler says
You're lucky. thanks
jessS says
Hi Andrea,
This looks so good. The shrimp paste you use here is not something I'm familiar with. I usually cook with the Chinese style shrimp paste... can I use that as a substitute? Love your blog and recipes. I have all your books!
JessS
Make money, Home business says
Hey man, was just browsing through the internet looking for some information and came across your blog. I am impressed by the information that you have on Make money, Home business. It shows how well you understand this subject. Bookmarked this page, will come back for more.
Puma Shoes says
This really is absolutely a single for this far better blogs I've study. You are so insightful, have a lot genuine stuff to provide for the table. I wish that even more persons examine this and get what I obtained from it: chills. Outstanding career and terrific blog site. I cannot wait to browse extra, always keep em comin!price.
Motorcycle Mirrors says
To test for doneness, take a knife and poke at the flesh near the bone. If it flakes easily, the fish is cooked. It is really very delicious
Jewish says
Hey its a super article. Yours is really very informative and helpful. please keep going on posting your blog.
taobao agent says
love me love my all
Cheap taobao agent says
Fantastic night shot with great colors and reflections. Happy new year!
supra shoes says
Of course, as a HR Pro you know where it REALLY gets interesting, if you decide to walk the employee out on the same day you receive the notice - the decision on whether to pay them for the two weeks notice you are waiving. My experience suggests this is primarily a cultural call, and if you want the majority of your employees to work a notice when they resign, you don't want to withhold the notice pay.
Christian Louboutin Pumps says
meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death
vibram toe shoes says
Delicious! This looks like the perfect combination.
I will add some cheese....................
Mm yummy! :D**********
marlon says
This really is absolutely a single for this far better blogs I've study. You are so insightful, have a lot genuine stuff to provide for the table.