Grilled Lapu Lapu in oyster sauce, photo by Ruben Ortega
This recipe is quite easy to make and perfect for an outside barbecue.
It is cooked wrapped in banana leaves (these can be availed in the frozen section of Oriental supermarket), which gives a delicious and ‘fresh’ taste to the fish beloved by Filipinos.
The fish wrapped banana leaves is then re-wrapped in tin (aluminium) foil for two reasons: one, to prevent the banana leaves from burning and two, the foil would ensure the fish to stay soft and moist as it cooks.
Ingredients
Whole lapu lapu (grouper fish), cleaned, descaled and gutted
1 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 sweet red peppers, sliced
2 shallots or small onions, diced
1/2 inch ginger, julienne
Method of Preparation:
Arrange the banana leaves to be enclosed over a larger tin foil (see photo above)
Place the fish on top of the banana leaves.
Drizzle it with olive oil, drop the garlic all over the fish, do the same with the red peppers, shallots or onions as well as the ginger.
Spoon in the oyster sauce.
Wrap the fish first with the banana leaves, enclosing all the ingredients onto the fish.
Then securely wrap the banana leaves parcel in tin foil.
Put the tin foil directly into the barbecue and cook for 20-30 minutes. Ensure to turn over at foil parcel on the barbecue as it cooks.
