Ikan bilis is the Malay name for small dried anchovies. For this wonderfully tasty and moreish snack they are fried with chillies, peanuts and onions. Try it with ice cold beer.
You will need a 300g (10.5 oz) packet of ikan bilis and 200g (7 oz) of raw peanuts with their skins. Dry fry the ikan bilis until they’re crisp and set aside. Do the same with the peanuts. When the peanuts are cooled, you can rub them in a tea towel to remove the skins. Now heat a generous amount of oil and fry a thickly sliced onion or two and sliced red chillies to taste. When the onions begin to soften, add the peanuts and ikan bilis and stir well to combine. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and continue to fry until the sugar coats and caramelises everything. Enjoy!
michelle picker cooks 