posted by Robert in Thailand 08-24-101 5:23 AM
Ikan Asam Pedas
2 large white fish
1 just ripe pineapple
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon brown sugar (Or palm sugar if you can find it)
2 teaspoons white sugar
5 shallots or 2 white onions
Salt and pepper
1 Pint of coconut milk (Recipe follows)
1 stalk of lemon grass, the bottom part only
Chili to taste
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 inch slice of ginger
1 inch of galangal (you might want to buy it powdered)
oil for frying
For the coconut milk, take 1 part of shredded coconut and mix in a pan with an equal amount of mink. Heat to nearly boiling, stirring the whole time. Allow it to simmer for at least 10 more minutes, preferably longer. When cool, strain out the coconut with a cheese cloth, squeezing as much milk out as possible.
Marinate fish in lime juice, salt, and pepper over night.
Peel shallots or onions and put in a blender with lemon grass, chili, garlic, turmeric, ginger, galangal and blend until everything is finely chopped (Or pound in a mortar if you want to be really traditional.) Put this in a pan with some oil and heat until the fragrances are released. Place fish in the same pan and add half the coconut milk. Bring to a boil then immediately turn down the heat to a simmer. Add the rest of the coconut milk and the diced pineapple. Let simmer, covered, until sauce is thick and fish is cooked through. Serve over rice.