Ikan Kuah Lada Recipe

Ikan Kuah Lada Recipe

(Fish in Peppery Gravy Recipe)

90 ml (3 fl oz) cooking oil

750 ml (24 fl oz) tamarind juice, extracted from 50 g tamarind pulp and 750 ml water

1¼ teaspoons salt

pinch of seasoning powder

2 medium aubergines, quartered lengthways, then cut into 5-cm (2-inch) pieces and

  soaked in water

600 g (1 lb) Spanish mackerel or stingray, cleaned and cut into 2.5-cm (1-inch) thick pieces

Finely ground paste:

18 shallots, peeled

3 cloves garlic, peeled

5 candlenuts

5 cm (2 inches) fresh turmeric, peeled

2 stalks lemon grass, sliced (use only the bottom tender inner part)

2 teaspoons crushed dried shrimp paste

½ teaspoon ground white pepper or 15 white peppercorns

2.5 cm (1 inch) galangal, peeled

Method:

Heat the cooking oil and fry the finely ground paste until fragrant.  Pour in tamarind juice.  Bring to a boil.  Add the salt and seasoning powder.  Simmer for 3 minutes.  Add aubergines and cook for 4 minutes.  Add fish and cook for another 8 minutes.  Serve with spicy shrimp paste (sambal belachan - pls refer more Nyonya Recipes).

Note:  If you prefer a more sourish gravy, double the amount of tamarind pulp.  You can garnish this dish with scallions and sliced red chilie, if desired.