Sate Lilit (Balinese Minced Fish Satay)
Fragrant Balinese satay of minced fish, coconut and spice paste moulded around lemongrass stalks and grilled until charred. Juicy, aromatic and no marinating needed.
Ingredients
- 500g firm white fish fillets, such as barramundi, snapper or ling, skin and bones removed
- 3/4 cup (60g) freshly grated or desiccated coconut (soaked in 2 tbsp warm water if desiccated)
- 1 tbsp coconut cream
- 5 red Asian shallots
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 long red chillies, seeded
- 2 bird's eye chillies (optional)
- 2cm piece fresh turmeric (or 1 tsp ground)
- 2cm piece galangal
- 1cm piece ginger
- 3 candlenuts (kemiri), toasted
- 1/2 tsp fermented shrimp paste, toasted
- 1 tbsp grated palm sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 makrut (kaffir) lime leaves, very finely shredded
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 16 lemongrass stalks, or thick bamboo skewers
- Lime wedges and sambal matah, to serve
Instructions
- Blend the shallots, garlic, chillies, turmeric, galangal, ginger, candlenuts, shrimp paste, palm sugar and salt into a smooth paste. Fry in the oil over medium heat for 5 minutes until fragrant and darker, then cool completely.
- Cut the fish into chunks and pulse in a food processor to a coarse paste. Do not over-blend; you want a little texture.
- In a bowl, mix the fish with the cooled spice paste, coconut, coconut cream and lime leaves. Knead and slap the mixture against the bowl for 1-2 minutes until it becomes sticky. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Trim the lemongrass to about 20cm and bash the bottom end lightly to release its flavour. With wet hands, take about 2 tbsp of the mixture and squeeze it around the thick end of each stalk to make a 2cm-thick sausage, about 8cm long.
- Heat a barbecue grill, chargrill pan or charcoal grill to medium-high and brush with oil. Grill the sate for 8-10 minutes, turning every couple of minutes, until golden with charred patches and cooked through.
- Serve hot with lime wedges, sambal matah and steamed rice.
About this dish
Sate lilit is Bali's signature satay. "Lilit" means "to wrap": instead of threading cubes of meat on a stick, a spiced mix of minced fish and coconut is wrapped around a lemongrass stalk and grilled. The lemongrass perfumes the meat from the inside, and the coconut keeps it juicy.
The flavour comes from the same base genep spice paste as ayam betutu, with candlenuts, turmeric and toasted shrimp paste. Unlike sate ayam, there is no peanut sauce: sate lilit is served with fresh sambal matah or a spoonful of sambal terasi. Try it with nasi kuning or as part of a barbecue with ikan bakar.
Tips for the best result
- Cool the spice paste completely before mixing it with the fish. Hot paste starts to cook the fish and the mixture won't bind.
- Kneading and slapping the mix makes it sticky, which helps it grip the lemongrass. Wet your hands to stop it sticking to you.
- Use a firm, mild white fish. Oily fish such as salmon are too soft.
- Oil the grill well and wait before turning; the sate releases once a crust forms.
Substitutions
- Protein: chicken thigh mince, pork mince or a mix of fish and prawns all make great sate lilit.
- Skewers: lemongrass gives the best flavour, but thick, flat bamboo skewers or paddle pop sticks work. Soak them first.
- Candlenuts: use macadamias.
Storage
The uncooked mixture keeps in the fridge for 1 day. Shaped, uncooked sate can be frozen on a tray then bagged for up to 1 month; thaw in the fridge before grilling. Cooked sate keep for 2 days and reheat well on the grill or in an air fryer.
Sate lilit FAQs
Can I make sate lilit without lemongrass?
Yes. Shape the mix around thick bamboo skewers and add an extra stalk of finely chopped lemongrass to the spice paste.
Can I bake sate lilit?
You can bake them at 220°C for 12-15 minutes on an oiled tray, then flash them under a hot grill for colour. They won't have the same smoky char as grilled sate.
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