masak asam pedas

This is the most popular dish from Melaka

people come from near and far just to get a taste of this

there are many varieties on cooking this sumptuous dish

and what I am sharing now with you is the simplest one :)

Here's how to cook it:

pound 3 shallots + 2 garlic + 1/2" ginger + 1" turmeric till fine

heat a medium pot over medium heat and pour in 2 Tabsp cooking oil

throw in 1 crushed lemongrass and when the oil is hot sautee all the pounded ingredients

then add in 3 Tabsp "cili giling Puteri" and 1 teasp salt..stir well until the whole mixture turns caramelized red in color and crispy

meanwhile take 1 Tabsp tamarind and mix with 1 cup water to make tamarind juice

add in the tamarind juice, 2 cut tomatoes and mix well and allow it to boil

add in the fish and let it boil before allowing it to simmer

taste the salt again and off the fire

it is that easy!! :)

a word on tamarind juice

when adding tamarind juice into the mixture do so gradually and taste the gravy before adding more
this is to avoid the gravy from becoming too sour
the final gravy should maintain the taste of chilly to it with a tinge of sourness