Panci-Centong@Minie's World

Ingredients:

* 1 whole bandeng (milkfish) or substitute sea bass or mackerel (about 700 g)
* 6 tbs. grated coconut, fried in a dry pan until golden brown and pounded till fine
* 100 ml thick coconut milk from ¾ coconut
* 2 eggs, beaten
* banana leaves, or substitute foil

Spice-paste

* 2 tsp. coriander seeds
* 6 shallots
* 3 cloves garlic
* 4 candlenuts
* 1 cm fresh gangale (lengkuas)
* 2 tsp. sugar
* salt to taste

Instructions:

* Scale and gut the fish through the gills. Wash the fish inside and out and dry thoroughly with kitchen towel paper.
* Carefully pound the fish with the flat of a large knife. Massage it hard all over in order to release the meat from the skin.
* Remove the backbone of the fish but leave tail and head in place: bend the tail towards the head until you feel the bone snap. Carefully pull out the bone through the gill-opening. Take care not to break the skin anywhere.
* Press out all the meat through the gill-opening by pressing the fish with a spoon from the tail-end towards the head.
* Turn over the skin by pushing the tail towards the head. Remove the bones then push the tail back through the head opening. Flake the meat and fry in a dry pan for a few minutes, then remove all the tiny bones from the meat. Mix the meat with the grated coconut, coconut milk, beaten eggs and the pounded Spice-paste. Blend till smooth. The consistency should be like soft butter.
* Put the stuffing back inside the fish through the gill-opening. Sew up the opening after stuffing the fish. Wrap in a banana leaf and secure the ends. Steam until done, approximately 15-20 minutes. Unwrap and grill over a barbecue or in the oven until brown before serving.

Tips :
Choose a freshly caught milkfish, because the skin would tear easily in a fish that has been lying around for a while.

Make 3-4 servings.


sources : www.melroseflower.com, www.flikr.com and other sources