Otak-otak
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Otak-otak is a fish cake from Malaysia. The southern Malaysian town of Muar is particularly famous for it. It can also be found in Indonesia, especially in Sulawesi, and Singapore. It is also known as otah-otah, otah or otak in Singapore.
It can be eaten as a snack or with bread or rice as part of a meal.
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[edit] Composition
Otak-otak is made by mixing fish paste (usually mackerel) with a mixture of spices including chillies, garlic, shallots, turmeric, lemon grass and coconut milk. The mixture is then wrapped in a leaf (usually a banana leaf) that has been softened by steaming, then grilled or steamed.
While fish otak-otak is most common, otak-otak is also commonly made with prawns, often resulting in a more textured variety. In Muar, you will also be able to find otak-otak made from cuttlefish, fish head and even chicken.
[edit] Regional varieties
There are different forms of otak-otak originating from different regions. Nonya otak-otak, with Peranakan origins, from the northern Malaysian state of Penang, is steamed as a cake in pandan leaf. However, otak-otak from the south of Malaysia and from Singapore is wrapped up as a thin slice using banana or coconut leaf and grilled over a charcoal fire (although the Singaporean version is often grilled in pandan leaf). As a result, it ends up reddish-orange, drier and with a more distinct smoky fish aroma. Other varieties of otak-otak do exist, however, the most common of which is a non-spicy, white-coloured version.
Although otak-otak is traditionally made with fish meat, modern versions of otah often utilize crab or prawn meat.
Other types of otak-otak include dishes called pais ikan and sata that are made of fish paste cooked in banana leaves.
[edit] Trivia
otak means brain in Malay and Indonesian, and the name of the dish is derived from the idea that the dish resembles brains somewhat, being on the soft and squishy side.
