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Coconut milk fish balls

Celimpungan, fish balls in coconut milk

Main dishes

Celimpungan from Palembang: fish and bean meatballs poached in a spicy coconut milk broth, served with a green chili sauce.

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Recipe from Muchtarrprincess, Deepturquoise, Akbar Soepadhi, adapted by Recette de cuisine · · updated on

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A specialty dish from Palembang, on the island of Sumatra, celimpungan combines tender chunks of seabass (tenggiri) with sticky rice, and serves them in a yellow coconut milk broth, flavored with turmeric, cilantro, and bancoul walnuts.

Ingredients and directions

  • Prep time40 min
  • Cook time30 min
  • Total1 hr 10 min
  • DifficultyEasy
  • CostBudget
  • Cooking methodsaucepan
  • Estimated cost$21.55 $2.69 / serving Estimated price; varies by store. Converted from euros at the ECB rate of October 15, 2026.

Ingredients

8 people

Meatballs

  • $0.80
  • $0.20
  • $0.08
  • $1.31
  • $0.06

Broth

  • $11.48
  • $0.16
  • $0.05
  • $0.01
  • $0.01
  • $0.27
  • $1.65
  • $0.44
  • $0.53
  • $1.06
  • $0.88

Spicy sauce

  • $2.56

Prices from US supermarkets for 12 of 17 ingredients; Belgian prices for the rest.

Directions

Meatballs

  1. Combine all the meatball ingredients, except for the couscous and oil, until a smooth paste forms. ≈ 4 min
  2. Pour une préparation facile, pour each ingredient, add it to a large bowl and gradually mix in the sauce, stirring with a ladle. ≈ 4 min
  3. In a saucepan, bring water, oil, and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil.
  4. Form the meatballs using about a tablespoon of mixture per meatball, and cook them in simmering water until they float; set aside.

Broth

  1. Combine the shallots, garlic, cilantro, chopped walnuts, and turmeric, then sauté this mixture until it browns.
  2. Pour in the coconut milk and mix. ≈ 4 min
  3. Season with salt, powdered bouillon, sugar, and pepper, bring to a boil, and taste.

Spicy sauce

  1. Cook the hot peppers with the water until the sauce thickens.
  2. Serve the meatballs in the broth, garnished with French-fried shallots and green onions, and with the spicy sauce.

The bill

Celimpungan, fish balls in coconut milk

  • 2 eggs$0.80
  • 25 grams of salt$0.20
  • 15 g of mushroom powder$0.08
  • 350 g of sago flour$1.31
  • 1 tablespoon of oil$0.06
  • 2 cups of light coconut milk$11.48
  • 20 grams of salt$0.16
  • 10 g of mushroom powder bouillon$0.05
  • 15 grams of sugar$0.01
  • 20 g of grated palm sugar$0.01
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper$0.27
  • 10 shallots$1.65
  • 5 cloves of garlic$0.44
  • 1/4 cup of cilantro seeds$0.53
  • Finely chopped green onions$1.06
  • French-fried shallots$0.88
  • 100 g of mixed green chili peppers$2.56

Total$21.55

that's $2.69 per person

Estimated price; varies by store.

Equipment

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Before you start

Ingredients

  • 500 g of tenggiri (a type of seabass)
  • 350 ml of water
  • 2 eggs
  • 25 grams of salt
  • 15 g of mushroom powder
  • 350 g of sago flour
  • 1 tablespoon of oil
  • 2 cups of light coconut milk
  • 20 grams of salt
  • 10 g of mushroom powder bouillon
  • 15 grams of sugar
  • 20 g of grated palm sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper
  • 10 shallots
  • 5 cloves of garlic
  • 1/4 cup of cilantro seeds
  • 5 kemiri nuts
  • 3 cm of fresh turmeric
  • Finely chopped green onions
  • French-fried shallots
  • 100 g of mixed green chili peppers
  • 300 ml of water

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