Otak-Otak

Blend the chillies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, candlenuts and belacan into a fine paste. Fry it in 2 tbsp oil for 8 minutes until it darkens and smells sweet, then let it cool completely.

💡 It has to be cold before it meets the fish. Warm paste starts cooking the egg and the mixture splits.

Chop the fish coarsely, then pulse it in a food processor with the cooled paste until it is a thick, sticky paste with some texture left.

💡 Stop while you can still see flecks of fish. Blended to a smooth purée it sets like a bouncy fish cake instead of a custard.

Fold in the coconut milk, egg, rice flour, lime leaves, sugar and a good pinch of salt. The mixture should drop slowly off a spoon, not run.

Soften the banana leaves by passing them briefly over a flame or dipping them in boiling water — they go glossy and stop cracking when folded.

💡 Skip this and the leaf splits as you fold it, and the filling leaks out onto the grill.

Spoon 2 tbsp of mixture along the centre of each leaf, fold the long sides over the filling, and pin the ends closed with toothpicks.

Grill the parcels over charcoal or in a ridged pan for 6 to 8 minutes a side, until the leaf is charred in patches and the filling is firm to a press. Alternatively, steam them for 15 minutes for a softer, paler result.

💡 Grilled and steamed are both correct, not a shortcut versus the real thing. Grilling adds the smoke the Malaysian version is known for; steaming is the Penang Peranakan habit.