Sate Lilit (Grilled Minced Fish Skewers)

servings
4
prep time
15 minutes
cook time
30 minutes
Grilled fish skewers on a plate with yellow rice.

Two Sate Lilit skewers, a traditional Balinese dish made of minced fish, served with vibrant yellow rice. Photo credit: Viceroy Bali.

Ingredients

  • 30 ml (2 tablespoons) vegetable oil, or as needed
  • 5 shallots, coarsely chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 5 small red chilies, stemmed and seeded, or to taste
  • 5 cm (2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
  • 5cm (2 inches) fresh turmeric or 1 teaspoon dried ground turmeric
  • 15 ml (1 tablespoon) coriander seeds
  • 10 cm (4-inch) piece of lemongrass, tender base only, thinly sliced
  • 500 grams (1 pound) mackerel fillets or any white fish fillets
  • 112 grams (4 ounces) grated fresh coconut
  • 118 ml (½ cup) coconut milk
  • Twenty 15 cm (6 inch) pieces of whole lemongrass stalks

Preparation

  1. Preheat a medium-hot grill; alternatively, this dish may be prepared using a ridged pan or skillet.

  2. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, heat 30 ml (2 tablespoons) oil and add the shallots, garlic, red chilies, ginger, turmeric, coriander seeds and sliced lemongrass.  Saute until tender, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a food processor and process until pureed.

  3. Add the fish, coconut, and coconut milk.  Pulse to make a coarse paste.  Transfer the paste to a bowl or work surface, and divide into four mounds.

  4. Divide each mound into five portions.  Pick up a portion and mold it into a thick sausage shape around one end of a lemongrass stalk.  Repeat to make a total of twenty pieces.

  5. Grill the sate lilit, turning as needed, until light brown and opaque in the center.  If using a grill pan or skillet, oil the pan and preheat until hot before adding the skewers.

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