Sri Lanka

Fish Ambul Thiyal

Name: Fish Ambul Thiyal
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Sri Lanka
Ingredients: 600 g Firm fish (tuna or similar); 2 tbsp Goraka (or tamarind); 1 tbsp Black pepper; some Curry leaves & pandan leaf; some of each Garlic & ginger; 1 tsp each Cinnamon & chilli powder

Sri Lankan sour dry fish curry

Fish ambul thiyal is a Sri Lankan “sour fish curry” that originally arose as a method of preservation, made without coconut milk.

The sourness comes from dried goraka fruit (Garcinia); the fish is cooked almost dry, which makes it keep especially well.

Servings4

Time50 min

LevelMedium

Ingredients

Firm fish (tuna or similar)600 g
Goraka (or tamarind)2 tbsp
Black pepper1 tbsp
Curry leaves & pandan leafsome
Garlic & gingersome of each
Cinnamon & chilli powder1 tsp each

★ = available authentic in the Asia Boutique

Preparation

Soak the goraka and work it into a dark paste.
Cut the fish into pieces and rub with the goraka spice paste.
Add to the pot with curry leaves, pandan and a little water.
Simmer gently until the liquid has almost evaporated.
Turn carefully to keep the fish whole, serve with rice.

Make it original

Goraka and curry leaves for fish ambul thiyal are in the Asia Boutique.

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