Ikan Bakar sambal Dabu-Dabu (Grilled fish with "Dabu-Dabu" sambal)

Sambal is a chili based sauce which is normally used as a condiment. Sambals are popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the southern Philippines and Sri Lanka, as well as in the Netherlands and in Suriname through Javanese influence. It is typically made from a variety of chili peppers and is sometimes a substitute for fresh chilis. It can be extremely spicy for the uninitiated. In Indonesia it self, we have many kind verieties of Sambal. One of it is "sambal Dabu-Dabu".

Sambal dabu-dabu It comes close to the Mexican salsa sauce, origin from Manado (east Indonesia). It consists of coarsely chopped tomatoes, calamansi or known as lemon cui or jeruk kesturi, shallots, chopped bird's eye chili, basil, vegetable oil, salt.
Today I made grilled fish served with sambal dabu-dabu, famous dish not only in Manado but also become favorite everybody across Indonesia. If you are fish lover, you should try this also and experience Indonesian flavor in you family dinner table once in a while.

Ingredients and how to prepare:


For grilled fish:
 2 mackerel fish (or snapper or tuna) medium size.
Clean them and give lemon juice to avoid fishy smell.
 4 ~ 5 cloves garlic
 2 ~ 3 shallots/ use half big red onions
 1 tbsp coriander seeds
 ± 1 cm fresh ginger
 ± 2 cm turmeric (or 1 tsp turmeric powder)
 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
 ½ tablespoon tamarind paste (or tamarind water or 1 tablespoon lime juice)
 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
 1 ~ 2 tsp salt or to taste

Blend / mash these spices: garlic, onion, coriander, ginger, turmeric, sugar and salt. Mix that mashed spices with the tamarind paste(tamarind water) and vegetable oil. Brush on the fish and let stand (1 hour minimum) in the refrigerator.


Grill fish over coals or in an oven temperature of 160 ⁰C util done.

Mackerel or in Turk: Palamut

For sambal dabu dabu:
 1 red or green tomato big size (2 pcs smaller), coarsely chopped
 Some of shallots, thinly sliced
 Some bird eye chili (to taste), finely sliced
 Some Thai basil leaves, chopped (I didn't use)
 Lemon/ lime juice and salad oil (olive oil)
Mix all ingredients for sambal dabu dabu.

Serve grilled fish while it's hot with sambal dabu dabu and dark sweet soy sauce. 
Serve with warm steamed rice.