Grilled spicy skate wing in banana leaf

Serves 2 Starters and mains

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Method

Clean the skate, pat dry with paper towel, then place it on a large plate. Make a few long, deep cuts into the flesh of the fish on both sides. Rub the fish with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt, cover with plastic wrap, and put in the refrigerator to marinate for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the spicy dressing, heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the rempah spice paste and stir-fry for about 5 minutes until fragrant, then add the tamarind purée, sugar, a pinch of salt and water. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and leave the sauce in the pan to cool completely.

Run hot water over the banana leaf to soften it, then pat dry with paper towel.

Place the banana leaf on the work surface, matte side up. Spread half the spicy dressing on the leaf, lay the skate on top, then spoon the remaining dressing on the fish. Fold the banana leaf into a parcel to enclose the fish, and secure it with toothpicks.

Heat up a barbecue grill or chargrill pan and cook the fish parcel for about 12-15 minutes, turning it over once halfway through cooking time. Meanwhile, make the chilli shallot dressing by simply mixing all of the ingredients together.

When the fish is ready, place the banana leaf parcel on a serving plate and open up the parcel. Garnish with the shallot and squeeze the lime wedge over the fish. Serve the chilli shallot dressing on the side.