FISH RELISH - SAMBAL IKAN

• Stephen Ceideburg
• 4 oz Tuna fish, or:
• 3 oz Eel or:
• 3 oz Ikan teri
• 1 c Thick santen (coconut milk)
• 4 Cloves garlic
• 3 Shallots, peeled and chopped
• 4 Kemiri (candlenuts)
• 3 Cabe rawit or:
• 2 ts Chilli powder
• 2 tb Tamarind water or
• 2 ts Tomato puree
• 1 ts Brown sugar
• Salt
• 2 tb Vegetable oil

I find that the easiest and tastiest Sambal Ikan is made with canned

tuna fish. Sambal made with eel, however, is also delicious; cut the

eel up very small and wash it in vinegar. In Indonesia we make this

sambal with ikan teri or ikan bilis (tiny dried anchovies). Pound the

garlic, shallots, kemiri and cabe rawit into a paste. Fry this paste

in vegetable oil in a wok for about half a minute. Put in the tuna

fish, eel or teri; stir-fry for 1 minute and add the tamarind water,

or tomato puree, sugar and salt. Stir in the santen, and go on

simmering until the mixture becomes thick. This sambal can be served

hot or cold.