Recipe : Famous Brengkes Tempoyak Patin

  What make it uniquely South Sumatera is the ingredients used to cook the fish. here, most brengkes are cooked with tempoyak (fermented durian). Good tempoyak is made from very ripe, dry durian. The durian meat is the softened using hands, mix with a little salt, then kept in a jar with tight lids. Here, bird's eye chillies are used to speed up the fermentation. Careful effort must be given to ensure a hygienic fermentation process.

   The perfect tempoyak used for cooking is usually two weeks old, by which time it has reached perfect acidicity. It is best used to cook brengkes made with common carp, patin (shark catfish), baung (sea bream, family of catfish), mujair (three spotted tilapia/oreochromis mossambicus) and Anchovy Whitebaits. The spices used must be simple enough to provide room for the tempoyak flavor and at the same time create a harmonized presentation of color, aroma and flavor. So now, lets ake your own Brengkes Tempoyak Patin!

Main Ingredients: 

1. 500 grams patin fish (shark catfish/Pangasius sp.)
2. 200 grams tempoyak (fermented durian)

Spice Paste:

1. 4 shallots
2. 1 garlic clove
3. 6 red chillies
4. 4 bird's eye chillies
5. 10 grams turmeric
6. 10 grams galangal
7. Salt and sugar to taste

How  To Make:

1. Clean fish. Remove the grills. Cut the fish into several pieces.
2. In a food processor or using mortar and pestle, grind all spices until they create a smooth paste. Mix well with tempoyak. Use this mixture to rub the fish.
3. Wrap the fish in banana leaves, make into two packages.
4. Steam until cooked trough. Serve.
5. The fish can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated by panfrying with a little cooking oil.

Share this post