Ikan bakar means grilled fish, and along Indonesia's coastline it's cooked over coconut husks at beachside warungs, brushed again and again with a glossy, sweet-spicy baste until the skin blisters and chars.
The magic is in the marinade, a mix of kecap manis, chilli, garlic and lime that caramelises over the heat. Every bite is smoky, sticky and bright with lime.
At home a barbecue or a hot grill pan does the job beautifully, and because fish cooks quickly, dinner is on the table in well under an hour.
