Blog ePalembang

Gurnard is a dummy-looking fish that I put on the shopping list this week. If you care about its family name or what species it is in whatever category it may fit, please feel free to do your search engine to full gear and have a look at what it is exactly, for all I know I just don’t care. What I do care is that this fish can be used to make empek-empek or celimpungan, two dishes I often long for.

The very last time I ate celimpungan was on the occasion of Ramadhan years way back. There was a little market with stalls in front of Mosque Agung which offered different kind of traditional Palembangese home made foods. What I could remember was, like any other flavour one can find in Palembangese cuisine, that it was so tasty with the balance of saltiness and sweetness at the same time. There is always sambal for those who are hot seekers to enjoy its burning sensation on every bite, every slurp.

Living in a different country with a different culture, I often find it hard to cook the right finish. Every fish has a different taste and flavour that may be effecting different final produce. Therefore, my search for fish to substitute tenggiri (mackerel–Spanish species, if I am not mistaken) or gabus (snakehead fish) with other similar in texture and taste. Pretty frustrated because New Zealand has its own fish which are often fished from many areas alongside the coastline. I have found Trevally, Blue Cod, Grey Mullet, Hoki, John Dory, Lemon Sole, and Salmon, of course. I would try the Jack Mackerel one day but they are so hard to find in our local market.

Anyway, I use gurnard now to find out how it tastes like when is made into celimpungan. I quite like the taste, however, you can’t really compare it with mackerel. The distinguished flavour in gurnard is not as intense as in mackerel. I am not sure why, but I suppose it has something to do with where they live. Price wise, gurnard is much less expensive than mackerel.

Celimpungan Gurnard a la Arfi

Celimpungan Gurnard a la Arfi

2 ekor gurnard, ambil dagingnya, kira-kira 300g, haluskan (jangan buang kepala dan tulangnya)

200g daging udang, haluskan

3 siung bawang putih, haluskan dengan garam dan gula secukupnya

500ml air

200g-350g tepung tapioca

300-500ml santan encer

Masukkan daging ikan dan daging udang yang sudah dihaluskan bersama-sama. Tambahkan bawang putih yang sudah dihaluskan, berikut garam dan gula halus. Masukkan tepung tapioca bergantian dengan air, sambil terus diuleni hingga adonan dapat dipulung dan tidak lengket di tangan. Rebus santan encer hingga mendidih. Ambil sesendok adonan ikan lalu rebus di dalam santan encer hingga mengapung. Sisihkan celimpungan yang sudah masak ke dalam sebuah mangkuk terpisah atau gunakan colander. Masak sisa adonan hingga seluruh adonan habis. Simpan sisa santan encer untuk kuah.

Kuah Celimpungan

Saya cenderung menggunakan stock (kaldu) buatan sendiri dan sangat menolak menggunakan bumbu bungkusan komersil. Membuat kaldu sendiri dapat menghindari penggunaan bahan pengawet yang berlebihan. Lebih sehat dan lebih segar.

Kaldu Ikan

2 ekor kepala dan tulang ikan gurnard

200g kepala udang, bersihkan

2 buah leek (ganti dengan daun bawang jika tidak punya)

8 siung bawang putih, kupas dan bruised

Rebus kedua bahan ini untuk membuat kaldu ikan dasar dengan 1000ml air hingga mendidih. Biarkan masak hingga airnya menyusut hingga 600ml. Strained, sisihkan.

Kuah Celimpungan

175g bawang merah

80-100g bawang putih

5cm kunyit

sedikit jintan dan kapulaga

garam dan gula

Haluskan semua bahan. Sisihkan.

600ml kaldu ikan

600ml santan encer dan sisa santan encer dari hasil merebus celimpungan tadi

150ml coconut cream (santan kental)

3cm lengkuas, iris

3cm jahe, iris

4 batang sereh, bruised

2 lembar daun salam

3 lembar daun jeruk

garam dan gula secukupnya

Didihkan kaldu, santan encer, santan sisa merebus celimpungan, bumbu halus, dan bumbu daun hingga harum. Cicip, beri garam dan gula. Jika sudah sesuai selera, masukkan santan kental, aduk hingga rata dan didihkan. Masukkan celimpungan, kecilkan api sambil terus didihkan hingga bumbu meresap ke dalam celimpungan. Lalu hidangkan hangat.

Kami menikmati celimpungan ini dengan taburan bawang goreng dan irisan chives atau bawang kucai. Enak juga disantap dengan sambal pedas. YUM!

Tags: cuisine, dapur, palembang, tradisional