Balinese Sambal Matah Grilled Snapper

Sambal matah is unlike most Indonesian sambals in that nothing gets cooked down into a paste — it's a raw relish of thinly sliced shallot, garlic, lemongrass, and chili, brought together by pouring warm coconut oil over the top just before serving, which softens the sharp edges without fully cooking the aromatics. That's what gives it its fresh, almost herbal snap.

Piled generously over a simply grilled snapper fillet, it turns a plain piece of fish into something with real texture and punch in every bite. Between the lean fish and the modest amount of oil, this comes together as a low-carb, high-protein dinner that's also naturally gluten-free and reasonably gentle on saturated fat, since coconut oil is used sparingly rather than as a cooking medium throughout.