What is Otah?

Otah is a popular local snack that has been around for many years. The paste is made up of three main ingredients - fish, spices, coconut, and wrapped in either palm leaf or banana leaf. There are two methods of cooking otah, either by barbeque or steaming. Most people (in Singapore) prefer the barbeque method of cooking because the fragrance of the barbequed leaf enhances the aroma of otah.

Otah is most popular in South East Asia countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. No one actually knows who created otah or even which country it originated from. Otah has simply been around for longer than anyone can remember. What’s especially worth knowing, is that otah in every country tastes different. The secret behind the different flavours lies in the spices and method of cooking. Not surprisingly, recipes are mostly are kept within the family.