Chilli tamarind sauce

Name: Chilli tamarind sauce
Yield: Makes 1.75 litres
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 50 g palm sugar, shaved; 2 litres Fish Stock; 2 stalks lemongrass, finely sliced; 800 ml coconut milk; 6 red bird’s-eye chillies, chopped; 2 brown onions, chopped; 750 ml Tamarind Liquid; 25 g belacan (Malaysian shrimp paste); 5 cloves garlic, minced; 20 ml sesame oil; 75 ml vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon minced ginger; 40 ml fish sauce; 4 coriander roots, chopped

Preparation info

Makes
1.75 litres

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Spice

By Christine Manfield

Published 1999

About

The heat from the chilli, the sourness from the tamarind and the rich sweetness of the coconut milk create a perfect harmony in this sauce, which best complements baked fish, crispy chicken or slow-braised pork.

Ingredients

25 g belacan (Malaysian shrimp paste)
2 brown onions, chopped
5 cloves

Asia
India
Fish course
Sauce
Pescatarian
Gluten-free

Method

Dry-roast belacan over gentle heat until fragrant. Blend belacan and aromatics to a smooth paste in a food processor with half of each oil. Stand a saucepan over moderate heat, then add remaining oil and fry paste until fragrant and softened, stirring regularly to prevent sticking. Add tamarind liquid, coconut milk and stock and bring to a boil, uncovered. Boil over moderate heat for 1 hour or