Ingredients

650 gm (1 1/2 lb) whole Spanish mackerel
3 tbs vegetable oil
2 coconuts, grated or (1 1/2 cups pure coconut cream from packets or cans)
One egg - lightly beaten
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
4 tbs sugar
8 kaffir lime leaves

Spice Mix
4 candlenuts
20 dried chillies 40 gm galangal or 3 tsp powdered galangal
2 to 3cm fresh turmeric root or 3/4 tsp powdered turmeric
2 tablespoons crisp shallot flakes
1 stalk lemon grass
2 square inches by 3/4 inch thick piece of shrimp paste (belacan)
10 shallots
1 tbs toasted coriander seed powder

Method

1. Fillet fish (or have the fishmonger do it for you)
2. Grind the meat finely in a food processor
3. Put into a large bowl
4. Wash candlenuts, cut off stalks of the dried chillies
5. Soak in warm water till softened for about 30 minutes, remove then drain
6. Cut off the skin of the galangal and turmeric root and peel shallots
7. Trim lemon grass
8. Cut all the spices into pieces
9. Pound or grind the first 7 ingredients of the spice mix till fine
10. Add the shallots last as a binding agent, then add the coriander powder
11. Squeeze the grated coconut for cream then strain to get the cream
12. Alternative: use one packet of coconut powder, adding enough water to make 1 cup (Or 1 1/2 cups processed coconut milk)
13. Heat wok, add oil, then add spice paste
14. Stir fry 5 minutes till oil exudes and the mixture is fragrant
15. Remove central vein of the double-leafed kaffir lime leaf and slice very finely
16. Mix the spices with the minced fish meat, salt and sugar
17. Add the kaffir lime leaves
18. Grease an 8-inch cake tin and put the fish mixture in
19. Smoothen the top with the back of a grease spoon
20. Bake in a bain marie (loaf tin) in a pre-heated oven at 150-175 degree C (300-350 degree F) for 20-25 minutes till skewer comes out clean when it is put into the centre of the fish cake
21. Serve either hot or cold with plain white rice