How to Cook Indian Mackerel in Sweet Soy Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 pieces Indian mackerel
• 5 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced 
  
  
  
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced 
  

  
  
  
• 2 cm ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 lemongrass stalk, remove the outer layers, bruised and cut into 3 cm pieces
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 salam (bay) leaf
• 1 tomato, chopped 
  
  
  
• 10 bird's eye chillies, remove the stalk (if you like it spicy)
• salt to taste
• 4 tablespoons kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
• 200 ml water
• Enough cooking oil for deep frying and sauteing

Instructions

1. Gut and clean the fish thoroughly. Then marinate in a little bit of salt and lime juice or vinegar for 15 minutes. 
   
   
   
2. Wash the fish one more time over running water to remove the lime juice and excess salt. Pat dry with a paper towel. 
3. Heat enough oil for deep frying in a pan or wok over medium heat. 

   

   
   
4. Deep fry the fish untill golden brown for around 10 to 15 minutes and set it aside. 

   

   
   
5. Remove the oil from the deep frying and clean the wok.
6. Put 1 tablespoon oil in the pan and heat it over medium high heat.
7. Sautee the shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and 1 bay leaf untill fragrant about 4 minutes.

   

   

   
   
8. Add the chopped tomato. Fry it for 1 minute. 

   

   
   
9. Add water to it. 

   
   
10. Add the salt and sweet soy sauce. 

    

    

    

    
    
11. Add the chillies if you wish to. 
12. Add the fishes and cook them over medium heat for about 15 minutes untill the liquid is mostly reduced and the sauce thickens. 

    

    
    
13. Transfer the dish onto a serving plate and garnish it with chopped spring onion.