Sri Lankan Fish Ambul Thiyal Food

SRI LANKAN MAALU AMBUL THIYAL

Steps:

• Boil a little water and add 2 pieces of goraka. Boil for about 10 minutes. Let it cool. Keep the water aside.Grind the softened goraka pieces and all the ingredients in the "paste" section together. (My mother used to hand-grind everything on the heavy grinding stone in the kitchen. But now she just uses the grinder. I do sense a difference in taste though between the two methods) Set aside.Wash the fish with clean water and a little lime. Combine it with the paste you made and set aside.Line a large clay pot in the piece of banana leaf. Place the paste covered fish, onions, fenugreek and the pandan leaf.Add the water that you boiled the goraka in. Cook on high covered on a wood fired stove until the mixture has started bubbling.Fill another clay pot with live burning coals. Remove the cover of the clay pot containing the fish and keep the clay pot filled with the burning coals on top of the other pot like its lid. The purpose is to create a grill like atmosphere with heat hitting the fish from above as well.Cook like this on low heat until the paste thickens to just enough coat the pieces of fish. Serve with rice, bread or even, with crackers!

SRI LANKAN AMBUL THIYAL(SOUR FISH CURRY).

Steps:

• Have all the ingredients for the sour fish(ambul thiyal)curry.
• Cut the fish into the required size, they should fit the pan while not crowding within the pan.
• Soak the goraka(5) pieces for 5 minutes and then grind them into a fine paste.
• You will need a little water to make the grinding process easier.
• Grind and make a paste using garlic(4 cloves), ginger(1tbs), pepper(3tbs), cloves(3), curry leaves(a sprig), pandan leaves(2inch), cardamom(3), red chilli powder(1tsp), turmeric(1/4tsp).
• Once you have a fine paste of goraka as well as the other ingredients mentioned above,
• Combine both the pastes, check for seasoning, and add salt and more pepper if necessary.
• Add the paste to a large bowl with the fish pieces and mix well, set aside for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the clay pot to cook the fish.
• Cut the banana leaf in a way you can layer the bottom of the clay pot, either in rectangular pieces or one in the shape of a disk.
• Once you place the banana leaf in the bottom of the pan, give the fish a last mix and add them to the clay pot.
• Try not to crowd the fish or stacking them one over the other too much as you want all the pieces of fish to cook evenly and intact.
• If there is leftover marinade in the bowl, add 1 cup of water to it, collect the marinade and pour the water over the fish.
• Check if the water just about covers the fish, if not add a little more.
• Place the pan over a low fire, and let it simmer until the water evaporates completely.
• Do not mix or use a spoon on the dish at any point in the cooking process, if you really want to move the pieces, hold the pan from both sides and give a little shake for the fish to settle.
• Once the fish takes on a blackish tinge while slightly charring on the bottom, remove it from the fire and let it cool. then gently pry the fish pieces so they come off the pan easily.

AMBUL THIYAL (SRI LANKAN SOUR CURRY OF FISH)

Steps:

• Wash and dry fish, cut into serving pieces.
• Soak tamarind in vinegar until its soft. (If tamarind is very dry, heat in an enamel saucepan for a few minutes adding some of the water).
• When cool enough to handle, squeeze the tamarind in the liquid to dissolve the pulp, strain through a fine nylon sieve and discard seeds and fibres.
• Put all ingredients into a pan (preferably an enamel or stainless steel pan) and bring to the boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until fish is cooked and gravy is thick.
• Shake pan or turn fish pieces carefully once or twice during cooking.
• Serve with white rice.