Goan Ambot Tik
A sour-and-spicy fish curry, its name literally meaning 'sour-pungent', traditionally made with shark or ray but adaptable to any firm fish, using little to no coconut.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 260 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy pan
- •Blender
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- fat
- 13 g
- carbs
- 7 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 26 g
- calories
- 260 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Grind the chillies, coriander seeds, cumin, peppercorns and garlic with a little water until smooth.
- 2
Heat oil in a pan. Fry the chopped onion until soft and lightly golden.
- 3
Add the ground masala (spice paste) and turmeric. Cook for 5 minutes until fragrant.
- 4
Pour in water to make a medium gravy. Bring the liquid to a boil.
- 5
Add the tamarind pulp and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes so the sour flavour develops.
- 6
Slide in the fish pieces. Simmer gently for 10-12 minutes until the fish is cooked through.
- 7
Let the curry rest for a few minutes before serving so the flavours settle.
Chef's tips
This curry uses little to no coconut, so the flavour relies on well-balanced sourness from tamarind and heat from the chillies. Firm fish holds up best to the longer simmer.
Ingredient substitutions
- shark or ray → kingfish or any firm white fish
Storage
Refrigerate up to 2 days.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stove without vigorous boiling.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding coconut, which changes the traditional coconut-free character of ambot tik.
Serving suggestions
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