Cooking with Chef Singh
GRILLED MAHI-MAHI WITH PINEAPPLE – CHILI SAMBAL
Recipe for six servings
6 (1- to 1 1/2-inch-thick) pieces mahi-mahi fillet with skin (6 oz each)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 oz shallots, thinly sliced (2/3cup)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 fresh local or serrano chiles minced, including seeds
3/4 fresh pineapple (preferably un sweetend), peeled, cored, and cut into
1/2-inch cubes (4 cups)
1 1/2 tablespoons asian fish sauce ( Nam Pla or Patish)
1 teaspoon white sugar
salt to taste
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Cooking Methods: Cook garlic and shallots in 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chiles and pineapple, then sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until pineapple is softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add fish sauce, sugar, and salt and sauté sambal, stirring, 30 seconds. Cool to room temperature, then mix in cilantro.
While sambal is cooling, prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderate.
Brush fish all over with remaining tablespoon oil, then season with salt. Grill, skin sides down, on lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using gas grill, until skin is crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn fish over and grill until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes more.
Serving: Serve fish with pineapple- sambal. Sauce accompanying with steamed rice.
Chef’s cooking tips: If you can only find pineapple labeled “super sweet,” add sugar in sambal. Sambal can be made, without cilantro, a day ahead and kept chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature and stir in cilantro before serving. In South East Asia, the term sambal encompasses a wide range of condiments and side dishes. This version gets its sweet and spicy flavor from pineapple and chilies, and used as a sauce.