Spicy Grilled Fish The Best Recipe

Published Jun 10, 2019 Updated Aug 29, 2024

Summer Grilled Fish Recipes

It’s summer and let’s fire up the grill. This is a classic dish found in Malaysia. Grilled fish is very popular in Malaysia. It’s called ikan panggang or ikan bakar and sold by street vendors or in restaurants. This fish grill is usually wrapped with layers of banana leaves, marinated with spice-laden marinade called sambal (spice paste) and grilled over charcoal fire with other seafood such as grilled oysters. This is probably one of the best grilled fish recipes ever, with juicy, tender, moist fish with complex flavors. The banana leaves impart intense aroma and earthy fragrance to the fish.

Grilled Fish Marinade

Fresh fish is marinated with sambal or spice paste; it lends the fish grill with layers upon layers of complex and delicious flavors. The sambal consist of ingredients below:

Fresh red chilies Shallots Lemongrass Belacan or Malaysian shrimp paste Sugar and salt as seasoning

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.

How To Grill Fish On Gas Grill

Heat up the grill. When the heat hits 300 degrees Fahrenheit, place the fish and banana leaves on the rack or the side with no direct heat. Cover the lid to barbeque the fish with the circumventing hot air for about 5 minutes. Open the lid and flip the fish over to cook the other side. Add more sambal marinade or seasoning on the fish. Cover the lid to bbq the fish again until it is cooked through. Place the fish and the banana leaves on direct heat for 1 minute, or until the banana leaves start to burn. Remove the fish from heat and serve immediately.

What To Serve With This Recipe

In Malaysia, this recipe is usually served with a condiment of sambal belacan with sliced shallots. I love the condiment as it adds an extra kick to this wonderful street food, found throughout Malaysia. I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.