Lapis ikan tongkolberbumbu (pan-fried tuna with red chilli sauce)

Sri Owen
·2-min read
Lapis ikan tongkolberbumbu (pan-fried tuna with red chilli sauce)
This chilli-heavy dish is rich in flavour

Tongkol, or tuna, which the people of Minahasa in North Sulawesi call ambu-ambu, is one of the fish that, in that region, is often cooked as rica-rica. This simply means ‘with lots of chillies’. In my experience, cooking tuna steaks for 2 minutes on each side should make them acceptable to almost anyone.

Overview

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Serves

4

Ingredients

  • 4 tuna steaks, about 170g each

  • 1 tsp peanut (groundnut) oil, plus 3 tbsp extra

  • 1 tsp freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice

  • 2 large white or red onions, finely sliced

For the bumbu (paste)

  • 5-8 large red chillies, or 1 large chilli plus 1 large red pepper, deseeded and chopped

  • 3 shallots, chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped

  • 2 tsp chopped fresh root ginger

  • 1 candlenut or macadamia nut, chopped (optional)

  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice

  • 2 tbsp peanut (groundnut) oil

For the garnish

  • 2 tbsp ginger strips, blanched and fried (optional)

  • Handful of picked fresh kemangi (lemon basil) or Thai basil

Method

Step 1

Rub 4 tuna steaks with salt, 1 tsp peanut oil and 1 tsp lime or lemon juice. Set aside.

Step 2

Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan, and gently fry 2 finely sliced onions (red or white) until soft and almost caramelised, about 12-15 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, whizz all the ingredients for the paste along with 1 tsp of salt, until smooth. 
In a separate pan, gently fry the paste, stirring continuously, for 3-4 minutes. 

Step 4

Add to the onions and fry, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside.

Step 5

Heat a large non-stick frying pan until hot, and carefully lay the tuna steaks in it, in a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes, then turn over and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.

Step 6

Reduce the heat, and spread the mixture of chilli paste and onions on top of each tuna steak. Cover the pan just for 1 minute longer, and serve hot straight away, with the garnishes strewn on top.

This tuna dish is good for eating with bakmie goreng (fried noodles), pasta or just a mixed salad.

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