Spicy fish (Ikan Panggang)

Had a small bbq yesterday with some spicy mackerals. They are very easy to make and tasty. To bbq best use a bbq fish holder to prevent the fish breaking into pieces. If you don't fancy a bbq, the fish can be grilled.

To make a rempah or spice paste:
3 - 4 shallots (about 100g), peeled
2 fat clove of garlic, peeled
1 small piece of galangal, peeled
1 stalk of lemongrass, use only the middle less woody part and cut into very fine slices
2 - 3 tsp of shrimp paste (belacan)
2 - 3 dried chillies (deseeded and soaked)
1 - 2 fresh red chillies (deseeded)
1 cm cube of fresh turmeric - optional
about 2 - 3 tbsp of tamarind concentrate (watery type, if it is a very thick paste then 1 heap tsp)
about 1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of sugar
2 - 3 tsp of cooking oil

fish - 3 to 4 mackerals or you can use other whole fish like sea bass or trout

Method:
Put all the spice paste ingredients into a mini blender and blend till smooth.
Score the fish diagonally, quite deep into flesh. Make 2- 3 slits on each side of the fish.
Use a serving knife and smear the spice paste inside the fish stomach and within the cuts and some on the skin.
Carefully place fish on a bbq fish holder, bbq till nice and brown.
*Or if you have banana leaf you can wrap the fish with the leaf, secured with cocktail sticks and put the whole parcel on the bbq till the leaf wilted and charred.

** Serve fish with plenty of raw red onion, pineapple, cucumber and tomatoes. You can also squeeze lime over the fish.

***This fish can also cooked under the grill.