Recipes

Flying Gourami (Fan-Shaped Fried Fish) Recipe

Name: Flying Gourami (Fan-Shaped Fried Fish) Recipe
Prep time: 40 Minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 1 large gourami fish (approx. 800 gr - 1 kg), cleaned; 1 lime; 1 Liter Nabati Cermelang cooking oil (must be deep fry); 2 tbsp cornstarch (for dusting); 4 cloves garlic; 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 2 cm turmeric; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp white pepper powder; Garnish: Sweet soy chili dip (sambal kecap), shrimp paste sambal, fresh vegetables.

Flying Gourami (Gurame Goreng Terbang), also called Fan Gourami, is a visual masterpiece in Indonesian cuisine, especially in Sundanese or Javanese restaurants. This isn't just fried fish; it's a culinary art form where the gourami is served in a majestic "flying" pose, its fillets fanned out like crispy wings.

Published November 12, 2025

Quick 40 Minutes

Serves 4 Servings

Difficulty Hard

Scroll for full method, ingredients, and chef’s notes.

Ingredients

What you need

Gather everything first for a smoother cooking flow.

1 large gourami fish (approx. 800 gr - 1 kg), cleaned
1 lime
1 Liter Nabati Cermelang cooking oil (must be deep fry)
2 tbsp cornstarch (for dusting)
4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 cm turmeric
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper powder
Garnish: Sweet soy chili dip (sambal kecap), shrimp paste sambal, fresh vegetables.

Method

Step-by-step

1
Filleting Technique: This is the most critical part. Slice the flesh of the gourami from head to tail on both sides, but do not cut it completely off the body. Leave the fillets attached to the central bone.
2
Open (butterfly) both fillets to the sides so the fish looks like it has "wings".
3
Score the thick parts of the fillets.
4
Rub the entire fish (including the inside and the "wings") with lime juice to remove any earthy/fishy smell. Rinse well.
5
Coat the fish evenly with the "Marinade Paste". Ensure the paste gets into the scores. Let it marinate for 15 minutes.
6
After marinating, dust the entire surface of the fish, especially the fillet "wings", with a thin layer of cornstarch. This will help create extra crispiness.
7
Heat 1 Liter (or more) of Nabati Cermelang cooking oil in a large, deep wok. The oil must be very hot and plentiful enough to submerge the entire fish.
8
Frying Process: Hold the fish by its head and tail, bending the body slightly. Lower the fish into the hot oil with the "wings" (fillets) spread wide open.
9
Immediately baste the top of the fish by spooning hot oil over it, helping the "wings" to fan out and set.
10
Fry until the entire fish is submerged, deep golden brown, and completely crispy (especially the fins and tail). This can take 10-15 minutes.
11
Carefully lift the fish using two large slotted spoons or strainers. Drain the oil by holding the fish in an upright position. Serve immediately on a large platter.

Chef’s Notes

Tips & extra guidance

Flying Gourami (Gurame Goreng Terbang), also called Fan Gourami, is a visual masterpiece in Indonesian cuisine, especially in Sundanese or Javanese restaurants. This isn't just fried fish; it's a culinary art form where the gourami is served in a majestic "flying" pose, its fillets fanned out like crispy wings. This dish offers double satisfaction: a stunning visual and an incredible texture, where every part of the fish—from the fins, tail, to the "wing" fillets—becomes crispy and edible.

The success of this recipe is one hundred percent dependent on an extreme deep-frying technique. This is where the volume and quality of the cooking oil play an absolute role. It requires a very large amount of Nabati Cermelang cooking oil, enough to submerge the entire fish in one go. The oil must be heated to a very high temperature.

Nabati Cermelang's high smoke point oil is ideal as it won't easily burn or smoke before reaching the required temperature.
When the large, "flying" shaped fish enters the sea of hot oil, magic happens. The intense heat from the oil instantly "locks" the fish's position, causing its fillet "wings" to bloom and stiffen in their fanned-out pose. The stable heat from high-quality oil will fry the fish evenly, ensuring the thick flesh near the bone is cooked through, while the thin fins, tail, and fillet edges become crispy like crackers, without any parts burning prematurely.

If the oil is insufficient in volume or heat, the fish's "wings" will be limp and droopy, its shape will be ruined, and the fish will absorb oil, becoming soggy and heavy. The perfect end result of a Flying Gourami—sturdy, majestic, and evenly crispy—is a direct testament to using high-quality oil in the right volume and at a precise temperature. This is a dish where cooking oil is not just a medium, but the sculpting tool that defines the final texture and presentation.