A recipe by Audun Kvitland Røstad

Gulai Ikan

Creamy Indonesian red curry with white fish

The dish from the world of Help I’ve Gone Viral!

Serves 4–6
Ready in ~40 min
Padang, Indonesia

Just like the documentary Help I’ve Gone Viral! celebrates the unifying power of music and food, this recipe for Gulai Ikan is about to make your taste buds dance with joy. It’s the perfect accompaniment to tales of viral stardom — the exotic flavours of Indonesia with a touch of Norwegian finesse. Let’s dive in; it’s as easy to make as it is to love.

Ingredients

The spice paste, Padang-style

8 small shallots (or 4 regular), peeled
2 fresh chillies (more to taste)
8 garlic cloves, peeled
1 can chopped tomatoes (Mutti or similar)
1 piece ginger (4–5 cm), peeled & sliced
6 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp ground turmeric
6 tbsp lemongrass, finely chopped
3 tbsp ground coriander
3 tbsp tamarind paste
4 candlenuts or macadamia nuts
1 tbsp ground black pepper
Salt, to taste · 2 tbsp water

Blend to a smooth, fragrant paste and set aside.

Everything else

~1 kg white fish fillets — snapper, or Norwegian cod
2 tsp fresh lime juice
3 tbsp canola oil
3 kaffir lime leaves (fresh or frozen)
1–10 small whole chillies (added whole, for flavour)
2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed & crushed
3 bay leaves
1½ cups coconut milk · 3 tbsp coconut cream
1 tbsp sugar · salt, to taste
Jasmine rice, to serve

Method

Marinate the fish. Toss the cod with the lime juice and a pinch of salt; let it rest for about 10 minutes.
Wake the aromatics. Heat the oil over medium-high. Sauté the crushed lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves for a minute, until fragrant.
Fry the paste. Stir in the spice paste, the whole chillies and the bay leaves. Cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes.
Build the sauce. Add the coconut milk and 1½ cups water. Bring to a boil, then lower to a medium heat.
Simmer. Let it bubble gently, stirring now and then, for 5 minutes.
Poach the fish. Lower the heat, slide in the cod, and poach until just cooked through but still holding together — 5–10 minutes.
Finish. Stir in the coconut cream and sugar, and season with salt to taste.
Serve. Spoon over fluffy jasmine rice. As Audun would say — vel bekomme!

Audun’s notes

Pre-soak the candlenuts and tamarind to soften them for a smoother paste.
Balance as you go — sour (lime), sweet (sugar), salty (fish sauce), umami.
Go traditional: a mortar and pestle draws out more flavour than a food processor.
Garnish with fresh coriander or Thai basil and a few slices of red chilli.

Curious about the man behind the recipe? Meet Audun in the documentary Help I’ve Gone Viral!

Watch the film →

Recipe & kitchen by Audun Kvitland Røstad · featured in Help I’ve Gone Viral!