FISH MOUSSE GRILLED ON LEMON GRASS (SATE LILIT)

Fish Mousse Grilled On Lemon Grass (Sate Lilit) image

Provided by Steven Raichlen

Time 40m

Yield 6 to 8 appetizer servings, 2 to 3 main course servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

2 to 3 shallots, peeled and sliced (1/2 cup)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 to 2 Thai or Serrano chilies, sliced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon powdered turmeric
5 macadamia nuts
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon shrimp paste or anchovy paste or 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 ounces firm, fresh boneless white fish fillets, like snapper, mahi-mahi, bass or catfish
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or to taste
2 kaffir lime leaves, cut into thin slivers (or 1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest)
4 teaspoons light brown sugar
24 stalks lemon grass, leaves and roots trimmed off, each about 7 inches long

Steps:

Prepare spice paste. In a food processor finely grind shallots, garlic, chilies, ginger, turmeric, macadamia nuts, coriander, pepper, shrimp or anchovy paste (if using fish sauce, add it in Step 2) and salt. Heat oil in a wok. Stir-fry mixture over medium heat until dark and fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool.
Prepare fish mousse. Puree fish and shrimp in food processor. Add spice paste, and puree. Work in coconut milk, lime juice, kaffir lime leaves and sugar. Taste mixture for seasoning, adding salt or lime juice to taste. It should be highly seasoned. Chill mixture for 2 hours.
Lightly wet your hands. Take about 3 tablespoons mousse mixture in one hand, and mold it onto bulbous part of lemon grass stalk about 3 inches long). Repeat with remaining stalks. Place finished sates on a plate lined with plastic wrap. Cover with more plastic wrap.
Preheat grill to high. Brush and oil grate. Grill sates until mousse is nicely browned and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes a side. If fish mixture sticks to grate, use a metal spatula to turn sates. Serve at once.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 475, UnsaturatedFat 6 grams, Carbohydrate 20 grams, Fat 11 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 73 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 525 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams, TransFat 0 grams