'Bandeng' satay a distinctive dish from Banten

By Rochmat Doradjat

SERANG, Banten (JP): It has taken years of experience for Mariyam to select the right fish to make bandeng satay, the distinctive dish of the area.

But she knows it when she sees it.

The skin must not be too thin, or too thick, and it should be from the local area. The 73-year-old lady, who runs a food stall from her kitchen on Jl. Kiuju in Serang, said she would not compromise her standards in the kitchen.

Of all the culinary delights of the newly-designated province, the satay made from saltwater milkfish is the most famous. And Serang is known as the best place to taste it.

Bandeng is found in abundance in the coastal area.

"It's not hard to find the fish," Mariyam acknowledged, "especially now that fish from Surabaya is also being sold here."

But Mariyam said she never used fish from outside the area in making the satay. She said the problem was that the skin of the fish from Surabaya was thinner than that of the fish caught in the local waters and sold in Banten port.

To make the satay, Mariyam begins by cleaning the fish of its entrails. The latter are then put through a sieve to separate the flesh from the bones and scales.

A modern invention has expedited the process, which used to take a painstaking few hours.

"It was bothersome to separate the flesh but now I have a special device made from copper. It's no longer the traditional way," she said.

The mother of 10 said the flesh was then mixed with grated coconut, coconut extract and additives such as salt, chili and brown sugar. These are all mixed together to form a stuffing with the consistency of cookie batter.

The stuffing, made according to the diner's own preference for hot, salty or sweet tastes, is put back into the fish for roasting.

She said the process looked easy but it took an expert to combine the right ingredients. They must be able to judge what amounts were needed and ensure that the skin of the fish was not torn in the restuffing process. The stuffed fish must look intact as though it were still alive.

"Of course, the fish won't be its original size, but will be a bit bigger," she said. "But its fish shape will not have changed at all."

A bamboo skewer is then inserted in the bottom of the stuffed fish for the roasting process and to ensure it remains intact.

Before the cooking begins, the fish is covered with a thin layer of the remaining stuffing.

Mariyam said she never used a regular gas cooker or one using coal. Instead, she has long relied on a charcoal fire to give the food its special flavor.

"One of my children once tried using regular coal, but it wasn't a success. The aroma wasn't as fragrant and the taste wasn't as delicious as usual."

Behind her home is a small brick enclosure with a gate, where a grill three meters in height with the charcoal piled below is used to cook the satay.

"I told my children to make a structure like this to grill the satay, so that it would be quicker if we have hundreds of orders."

Mariyam said that the cooking process also required patience and care, otherwise the fish would be spoiled.

"The cook responsible for grilling the fish must pay attention to fanning the smoke and turning over the satay. If not, the satay will end up burned, and won't taste good."

The final part of the cooking process involves the finishing. The fish is wrapped in banana leaves, and roasted briefly.

"As well as being good for wrapping the fish, the leaves impart a fragrance to the satay," Mariyam said.