Name: Cakalang Suwir Rica-Rica (Manado Spicy Tuna)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 350 g Tuna, cooked and shredded, or firm tuna chunks; 5 Bird's Eye Chiles, adjust to heat preference; ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder, optional for color and heat; 5 Shallots, roughly chopped; 4 clove Garlic, roughly chopped; 1 Tomato, chopped; 1 Lemongrass, bruised; 3 Makrut Lime Leaves, torn; ½ tsp Ground Turmeric, for color; 1 Lemon, half for cooking, half for serving; 2 tbsp Cooking Oil, for frying spice paste; ¾ tsp Salt, adjust to taste; ½ tsp Sugar, to balance heat

Cakalang Suwir Rica-Rica (Manado Spicy Tuna)

50 mintotal

Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Hot

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Method

Pound or blend the bird's eye chiles, shallots, garlic, tomato, turmeric, red chilli powder, salt, and sugar into a coarse spice paste.
Heat the measured cooking oil in a pan. Fry the spice paste with lemongrass and makrut lime leaves until fragrant and the tomato moisture reduces.
Add the shredded tuna and toss gently so it is coated with the spicy paste.
Cook over medium heat until the tuna absorbs the spices and the mixture becomes lightly dry and aromatic.
Add lemon juice and adjust salt. Remove lemongrass before serving if preferred.
Serve hot with steamed rice and extra lemon wedges.

How to tell it's done

The tuna should be moist but not saucy, coated in a coarse red chilli paste with visible shredded flakes.

Getting it right

Tip

Cook the chilli-tomato paste until it loses raw moisture before adding tuna; this keeps the final dish bold rather than watery.

What to serve it with

Serve with steamed rice, cucumber slices, and a squeeze of lemon.

Common mistakes

The tuna turns dry or the chilli paste tastes raw.: Cook the paste until glossy first, then fold in tuna gently and stop once it is coated and hot.

Substitutions

Use firm cooked tuna, skipjack, or any meaty fish that can be shredded without turning mushy.
Reduce bird's eye chiles for a milder version; Manado-style rica-rica is traditionally spicy.
Use green chilli as a fallback if bird's eye chiles are unavailable, but the heat profile will be milder.
Do not overcook the tuna after shredding, or it may become dry and fibrous.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate shredded tuna rica-rica for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a small splash of water if needed; freeze for up to 1 month.

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Ingredients