Kata Ganda B. Malaysia

Otak-Otak

Even though Kota Kinabalu is a part of Malaysia, otak-otak is

1. Not available for sale. I heard there was one stall that tried to sell it in Damai but ended up "gulung tikar".

2. Unknown to many Sabahans - people I interview at random and my monkeys. So I am going to explain this item step by step. West Malaysians can laugh and say " You Jakuns" and leave this page A.S.A.P :

Otak-otak is Malay fish mousse. First, you need to make the spicy paste to marinate your fish. I use ( clockwise from below the bowl ) dried chillies, galangal, shallots, garlic, tumeric, lime leaves and lemongrass. I should also add candle nuts and belacan which I choose to omit here.

If you are muflis like me, use a cleaver and chop until the ingredients become a paste and put in the bowl above. Traditionally mortar and pestle is used. Modern cooks use food processor.

Then I chop ikan tenggiri fillet with my cleaver. I substitute mint leaves for daun kesum.

Put egg, coconut cream and rice flour in a bowl...

Mix everything, topped with shredded lime leaves and mint. Wrap in banana leaves.

Steam for 20 minutes and you get Otak-otak!. I eat this with hot rice. Finish all in five minutes. "Otak" means brain, does it look like anyone's brains here? I hope to try the Thai and Indonesian version otak-otak some day....

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