Sate Pazili Trança with Coconut Baklava Recipe – Chard Wrapped Fish with Peanut Sauce and Coconut Baklava

Sate Pazili Trança with Coconut Baklava Recipe

This Sate Pazili Trança with Coconut Baklava Recipe delivers a stunning fusion of Indonesian and Turkish flavors, combining grilled marinated fish, creamy peanut sauce, and an inventive coconut baklava. Featured on CombiNation, this dish balances savory, spicy, and sweet elements into a multi-component meal perfect for special occasions and adventurous home cooks.

The Inspiration

This dish is a bold exploration of two rich culinary traditions—Indonesia’s vibrant street food culture and Turkey’s refined pastry heritage. Sate, or satay, is a beloved Indonesian preparation known for its deeply spiced marinades and smoky grilled flavor. Here, it’s reimagined using halibut, a delicate fish that absorbs the aromatic spices while remaining tender and flaky.

On the other side of the plate, coconut baklava takes inspiration from Turkey’s iconic dessert, replacing traditional syrup with a fragrant coconut-based glaze infused with Southeast Asian ingredients like lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime. The result is a dish that feels both familiar and entirely new.

On CombiNation, Bianca Osbourne brings these influences together with precision and creativity. The chard-wrapped halibut adds an elegant, modern presentation, while the peanut sauce ties everything together with its creamy, nutty richness. This recipe showcases how contrasting flavors and techniques can harmonize into one unforgettable dining experience.

Ingredients

Peanut Sauce

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 bird’s eye chilies, seeded and sliced
• ½ cup (120 ml) peanut butter, smooth
• 1 cup (240 ml) coconut milk
• 2 ½ tablespoons (37.5 ml) sweet soy
• ½ tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce
• Salt and white pepper
• ¼ cup (60 ml) crushed unsalted roasted peanuts
• 1 ½ tablespoons (22.5 ml) fresh lime juice

Sate Marinade

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white sugar
• 2 large red chili peppers, halved, seeded and sliced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ inch (1.25 cm) piece ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) coriander seed, crushed
• ¼ teaspoon (2.5 ml) freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt

Chard Wrapped Halibut

• 4 leaves of green Swiss chard, stems removed
• 4 fillets (3-4 ounce/100 g each) of halibut, skin off
• Salt and white pepper
• 1 cup (240 ml) Sate Marinade
• ½ cup (120 ml) Peanut Sauce

Baklava

• 1 quart (1 L) coconut water, unsweetened
• 1 cup (240 ml) coconut milk, unsweetened
• ½ cup (120 ml) sweet soy
• ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
• 2 inch (5 cm) piece galangal, crushed
• 1 inch (2.5 cm) piece ginger, crushed
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 6 scallions, chopped
• Juice and zest of 1 lime, plus zest of 1 more lime
• 2 Kaffir lime leaves
• 8 inch (20.5 cm) piece lemongrass, crushed
• 1 cup (240 ml) roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
• 1 cup (240 ml) toasted coconut flakes, chopped
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
• 28 (8 x 8 inch/20.5 x 20.5 cm) sheets of fillo pastry,
• 1 cup (240 ml) melted butter

Method

For the Peanut Sauce

• Heat oil in small pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and chilies and sweat for 3-4 minutes until translucent.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together peanut butter, coconut milk, sweet soy, soy sauce, salt, and white pepper.  Add to pot, whisk, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 10-15 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and mix in lime juice and peanuts. Adjust thickness with a little water, if needed.
• Keep slightly warm for serving.

For the Sate Marinade

• Combine the sugar, chilies, shallot, garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander, nutmeg, oil, and salt in a food processor, and blend thoroughly until you reach a loose, slightly smooth and uniform texture.
• Reserve for halibut.

For the Chard Wrapped Halibut

• Cut halibut into 1 inch cubes, season with salt and pepper, and toss with Sate Marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high, oil lightly. Set a medium pan of water to boil. Preheat broiler to high.
• Thread marinated halibut onto metal skewers, about 5 cubes per skewer.
• Grill skewers, 2 minutes on each side, until cooked through and slightly charred.
• While the skewers are grilling, blanch Swiss chard leaves for 30 seconds in boiling water, then transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Pat dry.
• Places leaves on a baking sheet lengthwise, just overlapping at the cut end, to shape a new ‘stemless’ chard leaf. Before serving, broil for 15 seconds. Brush with warm butter.

For the Baklava

• Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C).
• In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, make a ‘syrup’ by combine the coconut water, coconut milk, sweet soy, soy sauce, galangal, ginger, garlic, scallions, lime leaves, and lemongrass and bring to a simmer.
• Simmer for 30 minutes, then remove from heat and strain into a clean pan and return to the heat.
• When hot, whisk the cornstarch mixture into the sauce in a stream to thicken. Add juice and zest from 1 lime.
• Brush butter into an 8 x 8 inch (20.5 x 20.5 cm) glass baking dish.
• Place 1 sheet of filo then brush with butter, top with another sheet of fillo, and continue for seven layers/sheets.
• Sprinkle on even amounts of peanut and coconut (about 1/3 of each). Then add another 7 layers of fillo, brushing with butter between every layer.
• Repeat sprinkling peanut and coconut, for this layer, also add the zest of one lime.
• Add another 7 layers of fillo/butter, and sprinkle over the remaining peanuts and coconut.
• Add the final 7 layers of fillo and butter, brush butter on the top layer but do not add the peanuts/coconut. Cut into 10-12 portions, about 1 x 4 inches (2.5 x 10 cm) each.
• Bake for 75 minutes, until golden brown and set. Remove from the oven and immediately pour 1 cup (240 ml) of the coconut ‘syrup’ over the top. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

To Serve

• Place warmed chard ‘leaf’ on large white plate. Add about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of Peanut Sauce to the right third of the leaf.
• ‘Unskewer’ the grilled fish over the Peanut Sauce, then fold the leaf over the fish to fully hide/wrap it.
• Two inches (5 cm) to the left of the Halibut, place a portion of the Coconut Baklava, set parallel to the fish.

Serving Suggestions

This sate halibut recipe is ideal for special occasions, dinner parties, or when you want to create a memorable multi-course meal at home. Serve it as a centerpiece dish, allowing guests to experience both the savory richness of the peanut-coated fish and the sweet, aromatic complexity of the coconut baklava. The dish pairs beautifully with light sides such as a fresh cucumber salad or steamed rice to balance the bold flavors.

For beverages, consider a crisp white wine like Riesling or a lightly sparkling wine to complement the spice and richness. A citrus-forward cocktail or a chilled herbal tea with lemongrass or ginger also enhances the dish’s Southeast Asian elements. When hosting, plate each serving individually to highlight the contrast between the wrapped halibut and the golden, layered baklava, creating a visually striking and refined dining experience.

Final Thoughts

This Sate Pazili Trança with Coconut Baklava Recipe is a true celebration of global fusion, bringing together the smoky, spiced flavors of Indonesian cuisine with the delicate sweetness of Turkish-inspired baklava. Each component offers something unique, yet they come together in perfect harmony on the plate.

From the creamy peanut sauce to the aromatic marinade and the intricate layers of coconut baklava, this dish showcases both technical skill and creative expression. While it requires time and attention to detail, the result is a restaurant-quality meal that’s sure to impress.

Whether you’re exploring new culinary traditions or pushing your cooking skills to the next level, this recipe offers a rewarding and unforgettable experience that highlights the beauty of combining cultures through food.