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Ikan Goreng Saus Lemon - Fried Fish in Honey Lemon Sauce

Name: Ikan Goreng Saus Lemon - Fried Fish in Honey Lemon Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 800 gram (28 oz) tilapia fillet (Note 1); 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon salt; 100 gram (3.5 oz) all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon sugar; 150 ml (10 tablespoon) water; 2 cup bread crumbs; 2 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1/2 onion (~ 200 gram), thinly sliced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 lemons, zest and juiced (~ 2 tablespoon zest, ~ 4 tablespoon juice); 1/3 cup honey; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 cups chicken stock (or water); 1-2 tablespoon sugar, as needed; cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoon water, mixed well); 2 scallions, thinly sliced (optional garnish)

Last updated: Aug 17, 2020 — Published: Dec 14, 2017 — By: Anita — 8 comments

Delicious golden brown crispy fried fish stick served with thick and sticky honey and lemon sauce. No need to order a take-out once you learn how to make this dish.

Ikan goreng saus lemon - fried fish in honey lemon sauce.

Fried Fish in Honey Lemon Sauce (Indonesian: Ikan Goreng Saus Lemon) has been one of my favorite food since childhood. The crispy fried fish sticks, paired with a thick and sticky honey lemon sauce is truly delicious.

To ensure that guests can enjoy the crispy fish sticks, some restaurants separate the fried fish and the lemon sauce. Right before serving, the server will combine the fish sticks and the lemon sauce in front of the guests before placing the dish on the table.

I don’t usually do the above since I always serve this dish immediately right before our meal, but it is a neat trick if you are preparing this dish in advance.

Ingredients for ikan goreng saus lemon (fried fish in honey lemon sauce): fish, honey, lemon, onion, garlic, butter, breadcrumb, chicken stock, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt.

Ingredients for fried fish in honey lemon sauce

1. Fried fish sticks, or fried fish fingers

For the fried fish sticks, we will need fish fillet, lemon juice, all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, bread crumbs, water, and oil for deep-frying.

You can use tilapia, red snapper, cod, haddock, pollock, or other firm flesh white fish that are suitable for fish sticks.

If you don’t feel like making your own fried fish sticks from scratch, you can buy fish sticks in the frozen aisle of your supermarket and follow the packaging instruction.

2. Honey lemon sauce

For the honey lemon sauce, we will need unsalted butter, onion, garlic, lemon, honey, chicken stock, salt, sugar, tapioca starch, and scallions.

This sauce is all about lemon, so be sure to use some lovely fresh lemons to get their zest and juice.

Although you can always use lemon concentrate in a pinch, I highly advise waiting until you can get some fresh lemons before trying this recipe.

Deep fried tilapia batons, marinated in lemon juice and salt, coated in all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, water,and bread crumbs.

Fish sticks: marinating, coating, and frying

1. Marinate fish

Cut fish fillets into sticks/batons, then marinate with salt and lemon juice for 15 minutes.

2. Coat fish

Mix all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, and water into a thick paste. Add this to the marinated fish and mix well. Finally, coat the fish with bread crumbs and set aside.

3. Deep fry fish

Heat enough oil in a pot for deep-frying over medium heat. Once the oil is hot (180 Celsius/350 Fahrenheit), fry the fish until the surface is crispy and golden brown.

Remove fried fish sticks with a slotted spoon and drain excess oil over a wire rack. Please don’t drain fried fish on paper towels since they will become soggy.

(1) Sauté garlic and onion. (2) Add chicken stock, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, and salt. Thicken the sauce with cornstarch slurry. (3) Add fried fish batons and toss to coat. (4) Garnish with thinly sliced scallions.

Honey lemon sauce

Make sure you have all the ingredients for honey lemon sauce ready before cooking since this sauce cook in a matter of minutes.

Start by melting butter in a wok/skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and garlic until fragrant and the onion is translucent.

Add chicken stock, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, and salt. Stir to mix and cook until boiling.

Give the sauce a quick taste test. You may want to add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar if the sauce is too sour.

Once you are happy with the flavor, add the cornstarch slurry, and cook for 2 minutes to thicken the sauce.

Return fried fish sticks to the wok/skillet, and toss gently to coat. Turn off the heat, and garnish with thinly sliced scallions.

Finally, transfer the finished dish to a serving plate and serve immediately.