Fish in Spicy Tamarind Gravy Recipe

Fish in Spicy Tamarind Gravy Recipe

(Ikan Pinang Recipe)

900 ml (30 fl oz) tamarind juice, extracted from 80 g tamarind pulp and 900 ml water

2 stalks lemon grass, bruised (use only the bottom white tender part)

½ teaspoon salt

½ tablespoon sugar

6 small chub mackerel (ikan kembung), cleaned and gutted

2 red chilies, slit up three-quarter length

1 sprig sweet basil (selasih) leaves, stalk removed

Finely ground paste:

2 red chilies

10 shallots, peeled

1½ teaspoons crushed dried shrimp paste (belachan)

Method:

Mix the finely ground paste, lemon grass, salt and sugar with the tamarind juice and bring to the boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Increase the heat, add the fish and simmer for 5 more minutes before adding chilies to cook for another 3 minutes.  Garnish with sweet basil leaves and serve hot.

Note:  Chub mackerel can be substituted with 500 g (1 lb) wolf herring (ikan parang), cut into big pieces.