Fusion Recipe: Sambal Stingray Shawarma

Sambal Stingray Shawarma

 🦈 Sambal Stingray Shawarma: A Fiery East-Meets-Middle-East Fusion

This unique recipe is a bold culinary marriage, transforming the intensely flavourful, charcoal-grilled Malaysian/Singaporean Sambal Stingray (Ikan Bakar) into a Shawarma wrap. Traditional Sambal features a spicy, aromatic paste of chilli, shallots, garlic, ginger, and pungent belacan (shrimp paste), often cooked and served on a banana leaf.1 By combining the rich sambal with warm, earthy Shawarma spices like cumin and coriander, and then stuffing the flaked, grilled stingray into a pita or flatbread, you create a complex, exciting street food hybrid. The firm, meaty texture of the stingray holds up beautifully to the double layer of spice, while fresh garnishes and a cooling sauce cut through the heat for a truly unforgettable bite.


📝 Ingredients


Component

Sambal Stingray (Ikan Bakar Style)

Shawarma Wrap & Garnishes

Optional Cooling Sauce

Protein

1 large stingray wing (approx. 500g), cleaned

4-6 large pita breads or flatbreads

1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream

Sambal Paste

10 dried chillies (soaked & drained)

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp Lemon juice


5 fresh red chillies (for colour/fresh heat)

1 cucumber, diced

1 clove garlic, minced


5 shallots, roughly chopped

Handful of fresh coriander/parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste


3 cloves garlic

Optional: Pickled turnips or jalapeños



2 cm piece of fresh ginger

Shawarma Spice Blend: 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 1/4 tsp turmeric, pinch of cinnamon/clove.



1 tsp toasted belacan (shrimp paste)

For Cooking: 2 tbsp olive oil



1 tbsp tamarind pulp (mixed with 3 tbsp hot water, strained)




1 tsp brown sugar, salt to taste



Cooking

2 tbsp cooking oil (for frying paste)




2 pieces of banana leaf (optional, for flavour)




Juice of 1 calamansi lime (for serving)



🔪 Potential Preparation & Method


1. Prepare the Sambal Paste:

  • Blend: In a food processor, blend the soaked dried chillies, fresh chillies, shallots, garlic, ginger, and belacan into a coarse paste (Rempah). Add a splash of water if needed.
  • Fry: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or pan. Fry the rempah over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until it darkens, becomes very fragrant, and the oil separates (a crucial step known as 'pecah minyak').2

  • Season: Stir in the tamarind juice, brown sugar, and salt. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Marinate & Cook the Stingray (Ikan Bakar Style):

  • Marinate: Pat the stingray dry and lightly salt it. Spread a generous layer of the prepared Sambal paste evenly over the stingray wing. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  • Grill/Bake: Preheat your grill (or oven to 200°C/400°F).3

    • Traditional Method: Place the stingray on a piece of banana leaf (or foil) and wrap it into a parcel. Grill over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes per side (or bake for 20-25 minutes), until the fish is cooked through and easily flakes.

3. Prepare the Shawarma Filling:

  • Flake Fish: Once cooked, gently flake the stingray flesh away from the cartilage using a fork.4 Discard the cartilage/skin.

  • Shawarma Spice Finish: In a separate pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the flaked stingray and sprinkle generously with the Shawarma Spice Blend (cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, etc.). Sauté for 2-3 minutes to toast the spices and integrate the flavours.
  • Add Aromatics: Add the sliced red onion (and a small squeeze of calamansi/lime juice) to the pan and cook until softened and lightly charred.

4. Assemble the Shawarma:

  • Prepare Sauce (Optional): Mix the yogurt/sour cream with lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
  • Warm Bread: Warm the pita bread or flatbreads on a dry pan or griddle.
  • Assemble: Lay the warm bread flat. Spread a spoonful of the optional cooling sauce, top with the hot Sambal Stingray Shawarma filling, and garnish with fresh cucumber and chopped herbs. Roll tightly and serve immediately.

✅ Tips for Success

  • Embrace the Funk: Use toasted belacan (shrimp paste) in the Sambal.5 It is essential for the authentic umami depth of Sambal Stingray and elevates the overall flavour profile.

  • Pecah Minyak is Key: Do not rush frying the Sambal paste. The process of pecah minyak (the oil separating from the chilli paste) deepens the colour and concentrates the flavour, removing the raw taste of the chillies.6

  • Fish Choice: While stingray is traditional, you can substitute firm white fish like halibut, snapper, or cod for a similar meaty texture.
  • Balance the Heat: The cooling sauce (yogurt, cucumber, lemon) is crucial to balance the intense heat and spice of the double-seasoned Sambal Stingray. Don't skip the fresh, acidic component!


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