Spicy and Sour Fish Curry Recipe

Spicy and Sour Fish Curry Recipe

(Gerang Asam Recipe)

175 ml (6 fl oz) cooking oil

750 ml (24 fl oz) tamarind juice, extracted from 75 g tamarind pulp and 750 ml water

900 g (2 lbs) Spanish mackerel, sliced into 3.5-cm (1½-inch thick) pieces

2 kaffir lime leaves (optional)

½ teaspoon sugar

2½ teaspoons salt

20 young lady’s fingers (okra), stemmed and halved diagonally

Finely ground paste:

20 dried chilies, soaked in water and drained

18 shallots, peeled

2 cloves garlic, peeled

5 candlenuts

1.25 cm (½ inch) fresh turmeric, peeled

2.5 cm (1 inch) galangal, peeled

4 stalks lemon grass, sliced (use only the bottom white inner part)

1½ teaspoons crushed dried shrimp paste (belachan)

Method:

Heat the cooking oil and fry finely ground paste until fragrant.  Add the tamarind juice and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 4 minutes.  Increase the heat and add fish, kaffir lime leaves (optional), sugar and salt.  Cook for 4 minutes.  Add lady’s fingers (okra) and cook for another 5 minutes until the fish is done and lady’s fingers (okra) are tender.

Note:  Stingray can be used instead of Spanish mackerel.  Cut the fish into 5-cm (2-inch) thick pieces.