Ikan Bakar-Inspired Salmon Traybake with Potatoes
This ikan bakar-inspired salmon traybake has sambal-rubbed salmon baked over thin turmeric potatoes with kaffir lime leaves, tamarind, belacan and optional banana leaves. It’s lightly spicy, fragrant, sharp, savoury and oven-friendly.
Equipment
- deep roasting tin or baking dish, about 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13 inches.
- Foil
- Oven
Ingredients
For the sambal paste
- 10 dried red chillies
- 1 medium onion
- 4 medium garlic cloves
- 2 lemongrass stalks
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp toasted belacan leave out, if unavailable
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp palm sugar or white sugar
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil
- 4 kaffir lime leaves
Tamarind (skip if using shop bought paste)
- 1 heaped Tbsp tamarind pulp
- 60 ml hot water
For the potatoes
- 700 g waxy potatoes (or all rounders)
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 100 ml hot water or light stock
- 4 kaffir lime leaves
For the salmon
- 4 salmon fillets about 150–180g each
- 1 2 banana leaves completely optional
To finish and serve
- Juice of ½ lime
- Fresh coriander optional
- Sliced red chilli optional
Instructions
Prep work
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / 400°F.Use a deep roasting tin or baking dish, about 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13 inches.
- Red chillies. Roughly cut or break the dried red chillies into 2-3 pieces straight into a bowl and cover them with hot water. Soak for 15 minutes, then drain well. For less heat, shake out some of the seeds after soaking.10 dried red chillies
- Tamarind. Soak the tamarind pulp in the hot water for 15 minutes.At the end of the 15 minutes, mash it up with your hands and scoop out the seeds and any string or grit.Only use a sieve if you have a fairly large mesh sieve. Straining your tamarind will mean you don't get all the pulpy essence.1 heaped Tbsp tamarind pulp, 60 ml hot water
- Peel and roughly chop the onion.Peel the garlic cloves.Peel away the tough outer layer of the lemongrass, then trim off the root end and the dry top. Use about 10 cm (4 in) of the bottom part of each stalk. Slice into rings.1 medium onion, 4 medium garlic cloves, 2 lemongrass stalks
- Toast the belacan. You can do this in a dry pan for a couple of minutes, or wrap it in foil and toast it briefly, until fragrant. Let it cool slightly before adding it to the paste.
- Measure out the tamarind paste (if nor using pulp), fish sauce, salt, sugar, oil and turmeric.
- Tear all the kaffir lime leaves and set aside.4 kaffir lime leaves, 4 kaffir lime leaves
- Potatoes. Scrub or peel the potatoes, as you prefer. Slice them thinly, about 3–4mm thick. Try to keep the slices fairly even so they cook at the same rate.700 g waxy potatoes (or all rounders)
- If using banana leaves, wipe them clean. Soften them by briefly passing them over a gas flame, or by pouring boiling water over them. Pat dry, then use them to line the roasting tin, shiny side facing up. Trim any large overhanging edges so they don’t catch in the oven.You may see in the video that I didn't bother softening the banana leaves. They were from my garden, very young and small, and pretty soft.1 2 banana leaves
- Chop or pick any fresh herbs you’re using. And slice the red chillies.Fresh coriander, Sliced red chilli
Make the sambal paste
- Place the soaked and drained dried chillies in a food chopper.10 dried red chillies
- Add the onion, garlic, lemongrass, turmeric, toasted belacan, tamarind paste, fish sauce or salt, sugar and oil.1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp toasted belacan, 2 Tbsp fish sauce, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp palm sugar , 2 Tbsp neutral oil, 1 heaped Tbsp tamarind pulp
- Blitz to a semi smooth paste. It doesn’t need to be completely smooth.In the video, you'll see that mine is pretty smooth, that's because of the food processor I have and its blades! But you don't have to worry about yours being too smooth.
- Taste the paste. It should be spicy, salty, sharp and lightly rounded. If it tastes slightly harsh while raw, that’s normal. If it tastes quite bitter, add a little more sugar, tamarind and oil to balance it.
- Take 2 Tbsp of the sambal paste out for the potatoes.Rub the salmon with the remaining sambal paste.4 salmon fillets
Let's get cooking - the potatoes
- Place the sliced potatoes in the roasting tin, on top of the banana leaves if using.
- Add the neutral oil, turmeric, salt, hot water or stock, torn kaffir lime leaves and about 2 Tbsp of the sambal paste.I stirred the sambal paste into the water.1 Tbsp neutral oil, ½ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp fine sea salt, 100 ml hot water or light stock, 4 kaffir lime leaves
- Toss everything together so the potatoes are lightly coated.
- Spread the potatoes out as evenly as possible. They don’t need to be in a perfect single layer, but avoid thick piles.
- Cover the tray tightly with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are nearly tender. The timing will depend on how thinly the potatoes are sliced and how much they overlap.A small knife should run through pretty easily, with just the slightest resistance.
- Salmon. Remove the tray from the oven and carefully take off the foil. Watch out for the steam.
- Place the salmon on top of the potatoes, skin-side down if using fillets with skin.
- Return the tray to the oven, uncovered.Bake for15 minutes. 20, if you like your salmon well done.The salmon should be just cooked through and still moist.
Finish and serve
- Squeeze the lime juice over the salmon.Juice of ½ lime
- Scatter with coriander and sliced red chilli, if using.Serve with a simple side salad.
Notes
Use dried red chillies for a deeper sambal flavour. Fresh chillies alone will give a brighter but less rounded paste.
Belacan is optional, but it adds depth and savouriness. Toast it before using.
Slice the potatoes thinly so they cook before the salmon dries out.
The potatoes need a head start in the oven before the salmon is added.
A little overlap in the potatoes is fine. Avoid thick piles, as they’ll cook unevenly.
Banana leaves are optional and not eaten. They add fragrance and help give the traybake an ikan bakar feel.
The sambal paste can taste slightly harsh when raw. It will mellow as it cooks.
If the paste tastes bitter, balance it with a little extra sugar, tamarind and oil before using.
Nutrition
Calories: 504kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 39gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 1442mgPotassium: 1692mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 405IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 3mg
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