For Indonesians, fish is a staple of our daily diet; a meal—especially lunch—just doesn't feel complete without it. This time, I’ll be preparing ikan karing, or dried anchovies.
This preserved anchovy is one of our family's favorite foods. Usually we fry this anchovy or we serve it with chili sauce. Today I will make coconut milk sauce mixed with potatoes to make this dried fish very special.
The very thick coconut milk broth makes this dried fish truly special, and it pairs perfectly with either warm rice or regular rice.
This fish is often sold by fishermen at a very cheap price in our place and coincidentally yesterday I went to the fishermen to buy it directly from the fishermen because with the very cheap price I was tempted to buy it
Once the fish arrived home, I immediately cleaned and soaked it in slightly warm water so it wouldn't end up too salty. Actually, the fish isn't really that salty to begin with, but for some reason, my mother always soaks dried fish in warm water before cooking it—perhaps to make it a little more tender.
Huh, How about it? Are you curious about how I cook this dried fish? Okay, just follow the step by step that I will share in my post today. Thank you.
materials used
150 grams of dried anchovies, 2 potatoes, 7 green chilies, enough grated coconut to make coconut milk
7 red chilies, 7 asam sunti (preserved bilimbi), 1/2 tsp coriander, 5 shallots, 1 clove of garlic, a piece of turmeric (thumb-sized)
manufacturing procedure
I blend the spice paste first; meanwhile, I prepare the aromatics for sautéing—sliced onions, curry leaves, and pandan leaves. I go straight to sautéing the leaves and onions together.
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Once the leaves had wilted slightly, I added the spice paste I had blended earlier. Next, I prepared fresh coconut milk from the grated coconut.
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Next, I add the fish along with the coconut milk, and I also add the potatoes and chilies.
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Next, I cook it until the liquid reduces and the fish is perfectly cooked; I don't add any extra water at this stage—only coconut milk.
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RESULTS
And here is the result: my dried fish is ready to be enjoyed. The rich sauce—with its blend of sour, spicy, and sweet notes—complements the dried fish perfectly, making it truly delicious.
All in all, this dish is absolutely delicious; it is perfect for family gatherings or when relatives and friends come to visit.
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If you have dried fish at home, don't forget to try this recipe—it's a real standout in my area. People in my village often cook this as a daily meal.
Thank you 🙂🤗
About the Author
My real name is "Mariana" I am usually called Ryana, I come from Indonesia, my daily activities are working, cooking, taking care of the household, and also traveling, I really enjoy traveling with my husband and children. I also like enjoying culinary delights with my little family,Thank you very much for those who have taken the time to read my post this time, I hope this post is a little useful for the readers, and see you in my next post and I also really hope for the support of all friends, so that what we want while we are here we can make it happen
All these photos are taken by @Ryanaa herself, taken using a Realme phone Type RMX3630
