Indonesian Smashed Fried Fish with Sambal

Ingredients

Fish:

• 2 whole wolf herring/parang, catfish/keli, pomfret/bawal, tilapia, sea bass, snapper, mackerel, or trout, cleaned and scored
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• Salt, to taste
• Cooking oil, for deep frying
• 1 tbsp cooking oil, if air-frying

Sambal penyet:

• 2 large red chilies/cili merah besar
• 4 green cili padi
• 4 red cili padi
• 1 medium tomato, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 small piece belacan/shrimp paste
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• Salt and sugar, to taste
• 1-2 tbsp water, only if blending

Instructions

1. Season the fish. Pat the cleaned, scored fish very dry, especially inside the cuts. Rub all over with turmeric powder, coriander powder, and salt. Let it sit while you make the sambal so the salt has time to season the flesh.
2. Roast the sambal ingredients. Heat the oven or air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Roast the large red chilies, green cili padi, red cili padi, tomato, garlic, and belacan for 10 minutes until softened, blistered, and slightly charred at the edges.
3. Pound the sambal. Transfer the roasted ingredients to a mortar and pestle. Add 1 tbsp cooking oil, a pinch of salt, and a small pinch of sugar. Pound until semi-fine and rustic, not completely smooth. If using a blender, add just enough water to get the blades moving.
4. Adjust the sambal. Taste and adjust with more salt or sugar. The sambal should be hot, savory, and slightly sweet from the tomato. Set aside while you fry the fish.
5. Fry until crisp. Heat oil for deep frying over medium-high heat. Fry the fish until deeply golden and extremely crispy, about 5-7 minutes per side depending on size. The scored cuts should open up and the edges should look brittle, not soft.
6. Air-fryer option. For a lighter version, brush the seasoned fish with 1 tbsp oil and air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 20-25 minutes, turning once, until browned and crisp at the edges. It will be less dramatic than deep frying, but still good.
7. Penyet the fish. Place the cooked fish on a heavy wooden board or in a large mortar. Use a pestle to lightly smash it so the flesh flakes and the crust cracks. Do not pulverize it; you want broken crispy edges, not fish paste.
8. Finish with sambal. Spoon a generous amount of sambal penyet over the smashed fish and serve immediately while the fish is still hot and crunchy.

Notes

Critical insight: Dry fish is crispy fish. If the surface is wet, the oil spends the first few minutes boiling off water instead of crisping the skin. Pat it dry, salt it, and fry hot enough that the fish sizzles confidently the moment it hits the oil.

Substitutions: Wolf herring/parang has lots of fine bones, so pomfret/bawal, tilapia, sea bass, or snapper are easier if you want a cleaner eating experience. Catfish/keli works well because the flesh stays moist, while mackerel gives you a stronger, oilier flavor. Use any small-to-medium whole fish that can fit in your pan and has skin sturdy enough to crisp. If you cannot use belacan, add 1 tsp fish sauce to the sambal after roasting for a softer seafood funk.

Storage: This is best eaten immediately. Fried fish loses its magic in the fridge, but leftovers keep for up to 2 days. Reheat in an air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 5-8 minutes, then add fresh sambal after reheating.

Variations: Add a squeeze of calamansi or lime over the finished fish for brightness. For less heat, replace half the cili padi with another large red chili. For more heat, do not remove any seeds and pound the sambal by hand instead of blending it smooth.

Pairs with: Serve with hot rice and sliced cucumber, or cool the table down with Smashed Cucumber Salad.