[Indonesian Recipes] Spiced Fish with Torch Ginger and Szechuan Peppercorn ala Dentist Chef

Arsik is an Indonesian fish dish of the Batak Toba people and Mandailing people of North Sumatra, usually using the common carp (known in Indonesia as ‘ikan mas’ (grass carp). Distinctively Batak elements of the dish are the use of torch ginger fruit (‘asam cikala’), and ‘andaliman‘ (Indonesian szechuan pepper). Mandailing descent used to called the arsik with dekke masak asom or sour cooked fish.

The sourness derived from so many kind of ingredient like asam cikala, asam kandis and kaffir lime juice. Common Indonesian spices such as shallots, garlic, ginger, fresh turmeric root and chili are also used. The autentic version actually use lokio (Allium chinens) or chinese/japanese scallion, but i dont really like that stuff. Long bean usually added to accompenied the arsik. A Mandailing or South Batakness used to add some tofu, tempeh, young bamboo shoots and labu siam (chayotes).

Arsik (Stewed fish with Turmeric, Andaliman Pepper and Torch Ginger)

Resep Ikan Mas Arsik, dekke na niarsik or ikan masak asam got andaliman, essential for the distinctive taste of the dish, is known to grow only in the Batak highlands above 1500 metres of North Tapanuli and Samosir, hence this dish is regarded as specifically of the Batak Toba and Mandailing, who dwell in these areas. I just send torch ginger fruit and andaliman by my family in Padang Sidempuan. Lucky me, i found quite large tilapia (about 1 kg) swimming out in the fresh market tank and i happily brough it back home.

Arsik Ikan Mujair with Tilapia Fish

Arsik Ikan Mas with Common Grass Crap

Toba version usually stewing the arsik until the bone is soften and easily chewed such being cooked in high pressurized presto. They usualy using a very low flame and cooked it several hours with some thick plastic sheed covered the surface of the dish. This is the tricks suits for large ammount cooking. Just make sure the plastic is food grade or substitude it with heavy alumnium foil. While cooking arsik, I don’t really like the Toba version of arsik because the fish flesh is way over dried and loosen the natural sweetness for my licking.

Resep Ikan Mas Arsik Khas Batak Tapanuli Utara


Ingredients:

1 ikan mas/ mujair (grass carps/tilapia) about 1 kg, cleaned throughly
1/2 kaffir lime/lemon, juiced
2 daun jeruk purut/kaffir lime leaves
3 cm galangal, bruised
4 lemongrass, bruised
3 bunga kecombrang/rias torch ginger flower, bruised
6 asam cikala/ torch ginger fruit, smashed and dissolve with 1/2 cup water, strained
2 pieces asam kandis
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
salt to taste

Spices for a Paste:

12 shallots
8 cloves garlic
20 red chilli/cayenne peppers
6 cm ginger
4 cm galangal
3 lemongrass, soft white part only
6 cm turmeric
1 tbsp andaliman/ indonesian szechuan peppercorn

How to Make Arsik (Cara Membuat Ikan Arsik):

1. In a wok pan, put the whole spice in the bottom of the wok
2. Rub and fill the fish cavity with half ammount of spice paste, put the fish on top of stacked spices
3. Dissolve the remaining spice paste with 2 cus of water, pour over the fish
4. Bring it to boil, cover with the wok pan then set the stove to the lowest flame as possible
5. Cook until the sauce reduced about 1 hours.
6. Don’t disturb or flip the fish over. Once it’s cooked. Remove from the heat and enjoy!

This recipe and image sources are referred in website: Dentistvschef.wordpress.com. Thanks so much!