Pressure-Cooked Milkfish
In this recipe
About this recipe
Bandeng presto softens milkfish bones so the whole fish is easier for families. After pressure cooking it is usually fried until the skin browns.
Rub garlic and turmeric on before pressure cooking. Follow your cooker’s safety instructions.
Without a pressure cooker you can simmer a long time in a regular pot, but it takes much longer.
Prep & cook time
- Prep20 minutes
- Cook1 hour 40 minutes
- Total2 hours
- Servings6 servings
- LevelMedium
Tools you need
- Pressure cooker
- Knife
- Wok
Ingredients
- 2 medium milkfish, cleaned and split
- 8 garlic cloves, blended
- 3 cm turmeric, blended
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 2 bay leaves
- Water as needed for pressure cooking
- Oil for frying
Directions
- Rub fish with garlic, turmeric, coriander, and salt. Rest 15 minutes.
- Arrange in the pressure cooker with bay leaves and water. Cook until bones soften (often 45–60 minutes under pressure).
- Fully depressurize before opening.
- Lift out and drain.
- Fry until the skin is browned. Serve with sambal.
Kitchen tips
- Never open the cooker while pressurized.
- Fry on medium heat for even color.
- Freeze pressure-cooked fish before frying if you batch-cook.
Serve with
- Steamed rice
- Shrimp-paste sambal
- Fresh vegetables
- Tempeh
How to store
Unfried pressure-cooked fish keeps 3 days refrigerated or 2 weeks frozen.
Common mistakes
- Opening the cooker while still pressurized.
- Under-seasoning the rub.
- Frying so long the fish dries out.