Soften the leaves in advance
Cold banana leaves tear when folded. Heating them for a short time makes them supple and enhances their fragrance without cooking them.
Indonesian Recipe
Pepes Ikan in banana leaves
The banana-leaf parcel keeps the fish juicy when steamed and absorbs the fragrant herbs. Short grilling at the end roasts the banana leaf and brings a fine smoke flavour.
Total time
1 hr 45 min
Calories
480 kcal
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Why this recipe works
Indonesian spice fish from the fragrant banana-leaf parcel
Pepes is a common cooking method for fish, tofu and other ingredients in Indonesia. Banana leaves form a moist shell, but are used as a wrapper and not eaten. Mackerel tolerates the aromatic spice paste particularly well. After steaming, the fish is already cooked; the short time on the grill or grill pan only serves for the flavour and the lightly roasted surface of the package.
Lunch
Dinner
Indonesian Recipes
Fish
Recipe
Pepes Ikan in banana leaves
For Pepes Ikan, mackerel is steamed in banana leaves with an aromatic paste of shallots, chilli, turmeric, ginger and kemiri nuts and grilled briefly.
Ingredients
4 servings
Method
-
1
Clean and season fish
Rinse the mackerel inside and out cold, pat dry very well and cut three times flat on each side. Rub with lime juice and a teaspoon of salt.
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2
Ground spice paste
Puree shallots, garlic, kemica nuts, turmeric, ginger, chilli, coriander, palm sugar and remaining salt with two tablespoons of water.
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3
Fry paste
Heat oil and fry spice paste for 7 to 8 minutes over medium heat. Stir in lemongrass and lime strips at the last minute.
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4
Preparing banana leaves
Clean the leaves and briefly place over a high heat or pour boiling water over them until they become soft and pliable. Line two pieces slightly overlapping.
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5
Filling fish packets
Place some tomato and basil on each of the leaves. Spread the mackerel inside and outside with paste, top with the remaining tomato and basil.
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6
Wrap tightly
Fold the sides over the fish, fold the ends down and secure them with wooden skewers or kitchen yarn. The packages should be closed but not pressed tightly.
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7
Gently cushioning
Place the parcels in a preheated steamer and steam covered for 28 to 32 minutes. Fish is cooked when the meat comes off the middle bone slightly.
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8
Roast leaves briefly
Roast cooked parcels on a hot grill pan or grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until the leaves turn dark and fragrant.
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9
Gently open
Place the packages on a plate and open them away from the body, as hot steam escapes. Do not eat the banana leaf; serve fish with rice and lime wedges.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Pepes Ikan in banana leaves
Steam first, then grill
Steaming cooks the fish reliably and juicy. The grill remains a short aroma step so that leaf and spice paste do not burn.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Use four firm fish fillets of 180 to 200 g each and wrap them individually. Shorten steaming time to about 18 minutes.
If no banana leaves are available, use double parcels of baking paper, which will leave the result juicy but less leaf flavoured.
Nutrition per serving
480kcal
12.0 gCarbohydrates
46.0 gProtein
29.0 gFat
Values are estimates and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Pepes Ikan in banana leaves
Mackerel is particularly suitable because of its strong flavour. Bream, sea bass or solid white fish fillets also work well.
No. They serve as an aromatic cooking shell and are removed before eating. Only fish, spice paste, tomatoes and herbs are eaten.
It cooks evenly in the steam and remains juicy. Short grilling afterwards roasts the leaf without exposing the fish to long dry heat.
They are usually sold deep-frozen, defrosted, rinsed, pat dry and heated briefly before folding.
The meat is no longer translucent, detaches easily from the central bone and reaches approximately 63 ° C at its thickest point.
Keep cooking