0 Tasting Dadong Rengkeg Authentic Fish Satay

Sate ikan, or fish satay (grilled spicy minced fish meat lumped and twisted around a wooden skewer or lemongrass stalk), has always been renowned as one of Bali’s most popular and delicious dishes. It can be found at local warung (street food stalls) or opulent restaurants, but this sate ikan is different from others, you may want to taste it sometime during your holiday. Sate ikan kampung (village fish satay) is what people call the delicacy that has been cooked by Dadong (granny) Rengkeg in her own modest home in Sengkidu village in Karangasem in East Bali for many decades. 

The 70-year-old grandmother starts her day with a tight cooking schedule. From early in the morning, Dadong Rengkeg prepares all the necessary spices for her signature sate ikan and pepes mendira (steamed fish spiced with traditional Balinese herbs wrapped in banana leaves). Every day, her children and grandchildren help her out with all the preparations. They have to produce thousands of skewers of fish satay and hundreds of pepes mendira packages from their dilapidated kitchen.  Amazingly, the finished satay and pepes mendira will be sold out only an hour after they go on sale. 

“Everybody here loves Dadong Regkeg’s satay and pepes with beautiful distinct flavors no other people can match,” said a villager, who faithfully waits for the cooked satay to arrive. Some people had tried in vain to adopt the grandmother’s authentic recipes but the results turned out disappointingly, she said. Some of the children prepare coconut charcoal to grill the satay, the others mix the Balinese base genep — a mixture of spices — chili, coriander, galangal, lemon grass and others. “I can just work by sitting here in my kitchen preparing pepes mendira,” said Dadong Rengkeg, who has been making the dishes for over 30 years using the same secret family recipes. 

Slices of fish fillets marinated with hot spices are placed on four-layers of banana leaves. “Just to make the fish meat tender and juicy,” explained the grandmother. Rengkeg also has a secret for her fish satay. After the minced fish meat has been stirred around the skewers, she will steam the plain satay in the steaming pot for a few minutes before they are marinated with spices. Rengkeg’s fish satay has a perfect combination of sweet, hot and savory flavors. A package of pepes mendira sells for Rp 3,000 (31 US cents), while a skewer of fish satay is offered at Rp 500. 

Despite their low prices, sate ikan kampung and pepes mendira are the most sought after dishes in Sengkidu and neighboring villages in Karangasem. “If you want to taste them, you would be better to visit the home of Dadong Rengkeg or else you will not have a chance to taste these delicious meals,” says a food enthusiast, who comes from Denpasar, 90 kilometers from the village.
source : bali daily