Salt Grilled Mackerel With Onion and Carrot Salad

It was Valentine's Day (this is a stale post) and all I could think of was what to eat for lunch (how unromantic!). I know I have many things in the freezer. Though I have no idea what some of them are (hee..hee..).

Then I remembered Kimmy's Pan Fried Salmon with Tasty Onion Salad. I know I have a piece of salmon somewhere, but I couldn't find it. My freezer is like the Bermuda Triangle. Things go missing in there.

Never mind. I found a packet of frozen Norwegian Blue Mackerel. It has been in the freezer since last year. I tried to look for the expiry date but I couldn't locate it. What the heck. So I defrosted the fish.

But the thought of pan frying made me very tired. I am not good at frying fish and thinking of the oil splattering everywhere and the fish sticking to the wok, ah! Forget it. Then I remembered Wendy's Saba Shio@Salt Grilled Mackerel. That's it! Grill instead of fry. Perfecto.

It's not too difficult. Just oil and salt the mackerel and grill at 200C. While that's happening, I can make the tasty salad. I didn't have coriander so I used "daun kesum" (laksa leaves) instead. And I decided to use fish sauce instead of salt.

The fish took about 20-25 minutes to crisp up. At the 15 minute mark I could hear sizzling and mini explosions coming from the oven. However, my fish dish not brown as beautifully as Wendy's. But it was good enough for me.

The Onion and Carrot Salad is pretty much like what my mum likes to do except that this dressing contains sweet chili sauce and plum sauce (mum uses sugar). It's tangy, sweet and salty combination coupled with the aromatic "daun kesum" really made this salad pop. It goes so well with fried or grilled fish. In fact it is great eaten with "keropok" (fish crackers).

So that was my Valentine's Day lunch. Simple but good. And if I can find my salmon, I would cook and serve it the same way.

Salt Grilled Mackerel

Recipe source : Table For Two.....or More

Ingredients :
- Mackerel
- Salt 
- Oil

Method :
1. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil.
2. Place a wire rack on top of the tray.
3. Rub mackerel with some oil and place in skin side up on the wire rack.
4. Sprinkle some salt on the mackerel.
5. Grill at 200C in the oven until the skin looks golden brown.

Onion and Carrot Salad
Recipe source : Adapted from Cooking Pleasure

Ingredients :
- 1 Carrot, shredded
- 1 Yellow onion, finely sliced
- Some "daun kesum" finely shredded
- 2 tbsp Thai chilli sauce
- 2 tbsp plum sauce
- Juice from 2 limes (limau nipis)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- some toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Method :
1. To make the salad dressing, mix Thai chili sauce, plum sauce, lime juice and fish sauce. Taste and adjust. It should be sweet, sour and salty.
2. Put shredded carrots, onions and "daun kesum" into a mixing bowl. Add salad dressing and toss to mix. 
3. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.