Allergens in Ambot Tik: fish.
Ingredients
Quantities for 4.
- 600g, firm, in 4cm chunks Fishtraditionally shark or catfish; kingfish or monkfish hold up well
- 10 dried, stemmed Kashmiri Chilli
- 4 hot ones Dried Red Chillithe tik half of the name
- lime-sized ball, soaked in 200ml hot water Tamarind
- 3 tbsp Vinegar
- 5 petals Kokumthe second sour noteoptional
- 10 cloves Garlic
- 3cm piece Ginger
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 3/4 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 2 medium, finely chopped Onion
- 3 tbsp Neutral Oil
- to taste Salt
- 400ml Water
Cookware
stovetop, blender
Checked against the ingredient list for ten allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, soy and gluten. Brands vary, so read the label on anything new to you.
Before you start
- Rub the fish with salt and 1/4 tsp turmeric and rest it 15 minutes. A firm fish takes salt slowly.
- Soak the tamarind in hot water while you grind the masala, then squeeze and strain.
- There is no coconut in this curry. Do not add any to soften it. The sharpness is the dish.
Method
- Grind the chillies, garlic, ginger, cumin, pepper, turmeric and coriander powder with the vinegar and 3 tbsp water to a fine paste.
- Heat the oil and fry the chopped onion over medium heat for 8 minutes, until soft and pale gold.
- Add the masala paste and fry 6-7 minutes until it darkens and the oil beads at the edge of the pan.Frying the vinegar out is what stops the curry tasting raw. Give it the full seven minutes.
- Pour in the tamarind water and the rest of the water, add the kokum and salt, and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer uncovered 10 minutes so the gravy reduces slightly and turns glossy.
- Taste and balance: it should be assertively sour and hot. Add a pinch of salt or a splash of vinegar rather than sugar.Balance it before the fish goes in. You cannot stir it properly afterwards.
- Slide in the fish, shake the pan to settle the pieces, and simmer 7-8 minutes until opaque through.
- Rest 10 minutes off the heat before serving with plain rice.
Safe temperatures: Fish is done at 63°C / 145°F, or when it turns opaque and flakes easily. Reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F. FoodSafety.gov
Storage
Keeps 3 days refrigerated and the sourness mellows usefully by day two. Reheat gently to a bare simmer; never boil hard or the fish shreds.
Nutrition Low estimate
One serving of Ambot Tik (316 g) is about 302 calories, or 96 calories per 100 g.
High protein: 32 g a serving, 43% of the calories
| Per serving316 g | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 302 kcal | 96 kcal |
| Protein | 32.2 g | 10 g |
| Carbohydrate | 11.6 g | 4 g |
| of which sugars | 3.4 g | 1 g |
| Fibre | 2.3 g | 1 g |
| Fat | 13.9 g | 4 g |
| of which saturated | 1.7 g | 0 g |
| of which unsaturated | 11.0 g | 4 g |
Ingredients given to taste count as zero, so the real figures run a little higher. Nearest database match used for kokum. Estimated from raw ingredients using USDA FoodData Central.
More like this: Healthy Indian recipes · Gluten-free Indian recipes · Dairy-free Indian recipes · Goan recipes
Times, yields, allergens and nutrition are guidance. Use your own judgement on doneness and on storing. More in About.