Kare Ikan (Fish Curry)

Directions

Heat a little oil in a heavy frying-pan, and carefully brown the fish in it.

Meanwhile, in another frying-pan, fry the chopped shallots (or onion) and garlic until tender.

Stir in the chilli, ginger, turmeric, coriander, lemon grass, salam, salt and tamarind water.

Let this mixture simmer for 10 minutes, then put in the fish.

Cover, and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Add the santen and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Serve hot, garnished with very thin slices of cucumber and chopped mint.

(Alternatively, put the cucumber and mint into the kare itself for the last 2 minutes of cooking.)

Incidentally, the same kare can be made with prawns.

There is no need to fry the prawns separately; but fry them in the mixture of onion, etcetera for a few minutes before you put in the tamarind water.