Ambotik( Hot and Tangy Red Curry)

Goan Ambotik is a classic recipe hailing from the west of India. Cooked traditionally with fish like shark, solefish (lepo) or prawns. ‘Ambot’ in konkani means tangy and ‘tik’ means spicy or hot. The heat of the curry comes from the dried red chillies. I like to use Kashmiri chillies which lend a lovely flavour and colour to the gravy.

Ingredients:

12 small lepo (sole fish) cleaned

1 medium onion chopped

3-4 tablespoon tamarind pulp

1 tablespoon oil

3-4 Kokum (optional)

Salt to taste

Goan toddy Vineger to taste

Sugar to balance

For the curry grind together:

6 Kashmiri chilies
1 inch Cinnamon stick
5 cloves of garlic
½ inch ginger
4 peppercorns
6 cloves
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon turmeric

Directions

Salt the fish and set aside. Sauté the onion with some oil in a pan, till it turns translucent. Add the ground paste and cook for some time, then put in the tamarind pulp and little water. Cook this till it comes to a boil. Add in the kokum and the fish and cook on medium heat till they are cooked. Finally taste and toss in some salt,sugar and vinegar to balance. Your delicious curry balanced with heat and tang is ready to be served with some steamed rice and kismur.