Crispy Ikan Billis (Anchovy 江鱼仔) and Caramel Soya Sauce

This is another dish that goes well with plain porridge as a very simple meal.  You can keep them in air tight containers for about up to 2 weeks. Very convenient.

Most people cook ikan billis with sambal chilli, or just simply deep frying.  This recipe uses garlic and soya sauce to give it a very nice taste and sweeten with caramelized sugar.

Ingredients

1. 300 grams Ikan Bilis
2. Cooking oil for deep frying
3. 3 table spoon light soya sauce
4. 6 table spoon sugar
5. 1/5 cup water
6. 3 cloves garlic
7. 2 table spoon cooking oil

Method

1. Optional, for hygiene, you may wipe the ikan billis with a clean damp cloth (advise not to wash)
2. Sun dry the fish, especially if you have wiped it with damp cloth.  Alternatively, put into oven at low heat to dry them, or heat it on a dry pan or wok without oil and stirring continuously.  The purpose is to make sure there is little moisture in the fish, and it will be crispy when you deep fry them.
3. Deep fry the ikan billis in low to medium heat, until brown.  Important not to use high heat.  You need patience here.
4. Drain and leave them on a kitchen paper towel to absorb all the oil.
5. Minced or chop finely the garlic
6. Heat up a wok, add 2 table spoon oil and garlic, fry till fragrance.
7. Lower heat, add in sugar and allow it to start to melt (caramelizes)  and pour in soya sauce and water (prepare the soya sauce and water in a cup before hand, so that you can just pour it in quickly, speed is important to prevent sugar from burning). Stir to dissolve all sugar.
8. Turn up heat and allow it to bubble furiously and a little thickens (we don’t need it to be sticky like caramel, but still watery with some consistency),  and then pour in the pre-fried ikan bilis and using the stirrer toss them around so that we coat the ikan bilis as evenly as possible while it is very hot (when it cools down the caramelize sugar will hardens and harder to mix).
9. Scoop on a flat metal plate and allow to air and cool down to room temperature. 
10. Serve, or keep them in air tight container for serving days later.