The secret of chili seafood soup, 'pepes ikan'

JAKARTA (JP): This week, Hotel Sheraton Bandara shares its culinary secrets in making chili seafood soup and pepes ikan, prepared by the hotel's executive chef Heru Yohanes.

Cooking the soup is not as complicated as one may think because the chef helps saves one from all the fuss by using sambal terasi, or shrimp chili paste, available in the supermarket.

Chili Seafood Bandara * 75 g prawns * 50 g squid, cleaned * 50 g snapper fillet * 2 tsp sambal terasi, available in supermarket * 1 egg, beaten * 1 tsp tomato sauce * 250 ml chicken stock * 10 g sago flour, mixed with a little water * 1/2 lemon * Salt and white pepper * 1 tsp oil

(Makes 1 serving) 1. Marinate the seafood with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Set aside for 15 minutes. Fry them until cooked and strained. 2. Heat oil in a pan, add sambal terasi, chicken stock, and tomato sauce. Bring to the boil. Gently add in egg and stir. 3. Pour in sago mixture, stir well. Pour the soup into a serving bowl, garnish with fresh coriander and chili. Serve warm.

Ikan Pepes Bandara * 150 g snapper fillet * 50 g bean curd, mashed * 20 g kemangi leaves (a local type of basil) * 20 g fresh tumeric root paste * 10 ml lemon juice * salt * 3 shallots, sliced * 4 chilies, sliced * 1 20 cm x 20 cm banana leaf, cleaned

Sauce: * 100 ml soya sauce * 2 shallots, sliced * 6 chilies, sliced * 1 tomato, cubed * 20 ml lemon juice

(makes 1 serving) 1. Put all ingredients in a bowl, except the fish, and mix well. 2. Prepare banana leaf, arrange the mixture and fish on top of the leaf. Gently wrap the mixture and secure both ends with toothpicks. Steam for 10 minutes. 3. Remove the pepes from the steamer and grill it until the leaf turns brown. Serve warm with the sauce. 4. For the sauce: mix all ingredients and pour the mixture into a sauce dish.

--Recipes courtesy of Sheraton Bandara hotel.