Kuah Titchrah (Aceh Piquant Spicy Liquid Fish 'curry' Dish)

Ingredients

• 250 g fish, descaled gutted and cleaned
• 1 lemon, juice of, squeezed
• salt
• 2 tablespoons oil (for frying)
• 20 red chilies
• 1 tablespoon fresh turmeric
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
• 1/2 tablespoon coriander seed
• 1/2 garlic clove
• 5 teaspoons tamarind pulp
• 3 shallots
• 1 pandan leaf, ripped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups water

Directions

1. 1

   FISH: Clean the fish, cut it into dessert spoon sized chunks/steaks, and add juice of one lemon and sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt.

2. 2

   PASTE: grind together finely the red chillies, turmeric, ginger, coriander seeds, garlic, tamarind pulp, and the three shallots.

3. 3

   WOK: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok and drop the single chopped shallot and the ripped pandan leaf and fry til fragrant.

4. 4

   FRY PASTE: Add to the wok now the spice paste, and fry a minute till fragrant (or until you stop sneezing and wheezing).

5. 5

   COOK: Add the fish and the water, and slow boil til reduced/cooked. Add salt if needed. Serve with boiled rice.