Gerang Asam (Nonya Spicy and Sour Fish Curry)

Source: Florence Tan "Secrets of Nonya Cooking"

Serves 6 as part of a shared meal

Ingredients:

Cooking oil, 12 tbsp
Tamarind juice, extracted from 75g tamarind pulp and 750ml water, 750ml
Spanish mackerel, sliced into 3½ cm thick pieces, 900g
Fresh kaffir lime leaves (optional), 2 sprigs
Sugar, ½ tsp

Salt, 2½ tsp

Young lady's fingers (or okra), stemmed and halved diagonally, 20 pcs

Paste:

Dried chillies, soaked in water and drained, 20 pcs

Shallots, peeled, 18 pcs

Garlic, peeled, 2 cloves

Candlenuts (= Buah Keras in Malay), 5 pcs

Fresh turmeric (姜黄), peeled, ~1¼ cm length, 1 pc

Galangal (南姜 or 蓝姜), peeled, ~2½ cm length, 1 pc

Lemongrass, peeled, 4 stalks

Dried shrimp paste (= Belachan in Malay), roasted and crushed, 1½ tsp

Method:

1. Prepare paste. Place all paste ingredients in blender and blend till as smooth as possible.

2. Heat oil and fry grounded paste mixture till aromatic.

3. Add in tamarind juice and bring to boil.  Simmer for 4 mins.

4. Increase heat.  Add in fish, kaffir lime leaves (optional), sugar and salt.  Cook for 4 mins.

5. Add in lady's fingers (okra) and cook for another 5 mins until the fish is done and lady's fingers (okra) are tender.

Serving:

1. Serve hot with steam rice.