Pecel Lele (Poisson-chat frit au sambal)

Marinate the catfish

Rinse the catfish and score the flesh diagonally two or three times on each side — this lets the marinade reach the inside and stops the fish curling up in the hot oil. Blend the garlic, turmeric, coriander seeds, salt, lime juice and water into a smooth paste and rub it all over the fish, inside and out. Leave to marinate at room temperature for 15–20 minutes.

• 4 whole catfish
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 100 ml water

✅ C'est prêt quand : the fish is coated all over with yellow paste and has rested at least 15 minutes

Fry the sambal ingredients

Heat the sambal oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, both chillies, tomatoes and shrimp paste, and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring now and then, until the garlic turns pale gold and the chillies and tomatoes soften and blister. Do not let the garlic go dark brown or the sambal will taste bitter. Lift everything out with a slotted spoon and keep the flavoured oil.

• 3 tbsp oil for sambal
• 10 bird's eye chillies
• 2 large red chillies
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp shrimp paste

✅ C'est prêt quand : the garlic is pale gold and the chillies and tomato look soft and blistered

Pound the sambal

Move the fried ingredients to a mortar (or a blender, pulsing briefly) with the salt and sugar. Pound to a coarse, rustic paste — it should still have some texture, not a smooth purée. Stir in a spoonful of the reserved frying oil for shine and aroma, and taste for salt.

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp (reserved) sambal frying oil

✅ C'est prêt quand : the sambal is a coarse, deep-red, glossy paste that tastes hot, garlicky and a little sweet

Deep-fry the catfish

Heat the deep-frying oil in a wok or deep pan to 170–180°C (340–355°F) — test it with a scrap of garlic skin, which should sizzle and float straight away. Lower the marinated catfish in carefully and fry for 8–10 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden all over and the skin feels hard and crisp when you tap it with tongs. Drain on a wire rack rather than paper towels, so the underside stays crisp.

• 750 ml oil for deep-frying
• 4 marinated catfish (from step 1)

✅ C'est prêt quand : the catfish is deep golden brown, the skin is firm and crisp, and the flesh is opaque and fully cooked through

Prepare the raw vegetables

Wash the cucumber, cabbage, long beans and basil leaves well and arrange them on a plate — in Indonesia these are eaten raw, cool and crunchy, as a contrast to the hot fish and sambal.

• 1 cucumber
• 4 leaves cabbage
• 1 handful long beans
• 1 handful basil leaves

✅ C'est prêt quand : the vegetables are washed, cut and arranged on a plate

Serve the dish

Plate the crisp catfish with the raw vegetables, a generous spoon of sambal, and hot steamed rice. The traditional way to eat it is with your hands: tear off bits of fish, dip in sambal, and eat with a bite of vegetable and rice each time.

• to serve steamed rice