Recipe - Penang Laska

A
16 ounce Shallots
10 Stalks lemon grass, thinly
cut or sliced up
1 Thumbsized piece turmeric
30 Pieces dried chillies or
(up to 40)
4 tablespoon ChiIli paste
1 tablespoon Shrimp paste
1 Clove garlic

B
8 sl Dried tamarind
30 Stalks polygonum (daun
kesom)
2 Stalks phaeomaria (bunga
kantan), cut into halves
6 Heaped tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoon Salt

REMAINDER
6 ounce Tamarind
10 pt Water
2 One half pound Wolf herring (Ikan Parang)
5 pound Fresh coarse rice vermicelli
6 tablespoon Prawn paste, mixed with
Three fourths cup Warm water

GARNISH
1 Pineapple, minced
2 pound Cucumber, thinly shredded
without skin and centre
2 ounce Mint leaves
8 ounce Onions, cut into small cubes
15 Green chillies, cut or sliced up
12 Red chillies, cut or sliced up
4 ounce Preserved leeks, sliceu
thinly

1. Soak tamarind in 455 ml (16 fl oz) water; squeeze and sieve into an
enamel saucepan. reepeat process three times with the rest of the water.

2. Grind [A] to a fine paste.

3. Bring tamarind water to the boil with [A] and [B].

4. Boil for 10 minutes; add the fish and let gravy simmer for 15 minutes
till fish is cooked.
5. Remove fish to a plate to cool; remove all bones. Place flaked fsh meat
in a bowl and set aside.

6. Let the tamarind gravy simmer for 1 hour. Remove the polygonum and
phaeomaria.

7. Return the flaked fish to the gravy and bring back to boil .
serve: Bring a saucepan of water to a rapid boil . Scald the rice
vermicelli and drain in a col ander. Place a small handful of scalded rice
ver micelli in a mediumsized bowl; pour hot tamarind gravy and some fish
over it. Top with garnish , and 1 teaspoon of the thinned prauwn paste
Serve.

Note: Only verv fresh fish is suitable for this dish. Dried coarse rice
vermicelli can be substituted for fresh. Boil rice vermicelli till soft but
not soggy; about l5 minutes. Rinse in cold water and drain.

Found thru Yoyee

Posted to FOODWINE Digest 17 Jan 97, by Ana Kurland akur@LOC.GOV on Fri,
17 Jan 1997.