courtesy : Pn. Sharifah Khalid

Ikan masak asam pedas is a savory, albeit spicy and sour dish. It is a staple of fishing kampungs.Serve with white rice or nasi minyak.

Ingredients:

500gm fish(tuna,sting ray,red snapper );cut into 15mm steaks
3 tablespoon oil
10 Vietnamese mint leaves
1 stalk lemongrass;coarse pounded
1 tablespoon tamarind pulp                ) mix and strain
120ml water                                    )
salt and sugar to taste
6 small red onions;sliced                     )
3 cloves garlic;chopped                     ) grind
1/2cm ginger;shredded                     )
1 tablespoon dried shrimp;dry roasted )
4 tablespoon chilli paste*(see below)

Method of preparation:

In a wok heat oil.Saute the ground ingredients till the smell is fragrant. Add water,Vietnamese mint,lemongrass,tamarind juice,salt and sugar. Heat on high flame.Stir occasionally.Heat till the sauce boils.Then add the fish steaks.Heat till the fish is cooked.Turn down heat and simmer. Turn off flame.Serve with white rice or nasi minyak.

*To make chilli paste:

Remove seeds from 6 dried red chillies.(leave seeds on for extra hot). Tear the chillies into small pieces.Soak in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain.Grind with a little water into a paste.To stock chilli paste;use more dried red chillies.Pour paste into a clean jar,close and refrigerate.

Note:

1.reduce water amount to make sauce thicker.
2.adjust amount of tamarind pulp and/or dried red chillies to control sourness and hotness respectively.