Crispy fried fish with lemon garlic butter sauce

Malaysia has a diverse range of customs to learn about. Every Malaysian state has its own unique story to share.

I am a Malaysian from the state of Sabah. My husband is also a Kota Belud Sabahan. Today, I am going to tell you about a fishing village in Kota Belud called Kuala Abai. One of the most well-known must-see attractions in the vicinity of Kota Belud.

Kampung Kuala Abai is a fishing village located 3 kilometers inland from Kota Belud. On weekends, many people from out of town come to Kuala Abai to buy fish. They go to the shore to await the arrival of fishing boats with the freshest seafood. Everyone would hope for the biggest, cheapest and freshest fish possible.  The captain places the baskets of rich seafood, which included live shrimp, silvery fish, golden croaker, lobsters, and mussels.

In the port, there are a lot of people. Some are fishmongers, some are out-of-town residents, and some are fishermen's families... The shouting became louder as the number of people on the beach increased. The fisherman, on the other hand, became increasingly happy since they would have made more money.

All I could hear as soon as I went into the shore was the noise of the vendors one after another. "Come on! Come on!" Yellow croaker, grouper, horsehead..., whatever seafood you want, you will find it here!" To win the favour of buyers, the fishmonger here is not only inventive but also stands out from the crowd of competitors.

I have seen fishermen and fishmongers make a deal at the shore through rapid bidding as well. Some of the fish which are small are being prepared on the plate by some of the fish hawkers. We must confidently bid if we want a certain plate of fish. Occasionally, the hawker would sell it at a discount with a bonus, such as an extra fish or a ginger pack. Modern supermarkets and even town wet markets lack this kind of personal touch in negotiating.

I caught my eye on a plate of fish that I have not eaten in a long time. It is one of the types of white fish spices. The locals call it “Ikan Naomi-Naomi”. This type of fish is usually deep-fried, and it is a simple go-to dish that locals frequently prepare when they want a quick and easy meal.

Ikan Goreng, often known as deep-fried or pan-fried fish, is a popular method of preparing fish in Asian countries. I normally either fried the fish whole or cut it into steaks before frying it. However, the type of meal served is mostly determined by the selection and availability of fish. Some fishes are better suited to steaming, while others are better suited to frying.

For this “ikan Naomi-Naomi” is better suited to frying. After the fish has come out of the pan, drizzling light soya sauce on top is a traditional manner of consuming this type of crispy fried fish. Today, though, I am going to make this crispy fried fish with a lemon garlic butter sauce with potatoes.

It takes skill to deep-fry a whole fish. Cooking fish with the bone on produces a better result, both in flavour and preventing the fish flesh from drying out. Make sure there is enough oil in the wok before adding the fish, and do not try to squeeze in as many as possible into the pan. Depending on the size of the fish, you can do two or three at a time. Also, fully dry the fish with a paper towel before putting it in the oil. Deep bottom wok frying is more suited and less messy when it comes to frying. You may avoid an oily kitchen by using an oil splat guard and turning the stove hood on full blast.

 

INGREDIENTS

- 1 kg Ikan Naomi-Naomi (10 pcs), cleaned, gutted, and scaled

- 3 medium-size potatoes, cut into small chunks

- 10 pcs cherry tomatoes 

- oil for deep frying

-3 Tbsp butter

-2 Tbsp minced garlic

- ¼ cup or 60ml white wine

- ¼ cup or 60ml heavy cream

- 1 cup or 250ml of chicken stock

- 1 lemon, juice only

- some fresh coriander leaves were chopped to garnish

- salt & pepper to taste

 

INSTRUCTION

1) The fish was properly cleaned, gutted, and scaled. Pat dry the fish, water left on the fish will cause oil to spit.

2) Cut one or two deep slices into the flesh of the fish on both sides with a sharp knife (depending on the size of the fish). Make sure not to get all the way to the bone.

3) Preheat your wok's oil to 180 degrees Celsius. Make sure the fish is completely covered in oil. The fish should be deep-fried until golden brown and cooked completely. While cooking the sauce, remove the fish from the oil and set it on a kitchen towel to drain.

4) In a skillet, heat a little amount of frying oil and the minced garlic until soft and aromatic, about 5 minutes.

5) Pour in the white wine and chicken stock, then turn the heat up to medium and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

6) Turn off the heat and add the butter, stirring to incorporate, before adding the cream.

7) Return the skillet to the heat and continue to whisk until the mixture starts to bubble. Taste the sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the crispy fried fish to the skillet together with the cherry tomatoes and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Once the sauce has been thoroughly combined or the fish has been coated. Removed the pan from the heat and added the lemon juice. The sauce's heat will aid in infusing the lemon. To avoid the fried fish from turning soggy, serve it straight.

8) Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with your favourite sides. Rice is excellent with this meal.

 

Note:

If you don’t have white wine you may substitute it with Chinese Shaoxing wine. Or if you prefer not to cook with alcohol, you can substitute an equal amount of chicken stock.

Hope you find this guide useful and enjoy this deep-fried whole fish to the fullest!!