Trout in Salted Soy Beans Sauce

The malay name for this dish is Ikan Masak Taucheo Lemak.  One can use any kind of fish whose texture is not "soft" i.e. breaking up during the cooking process.  This time, I used trouts in this dish.  This recipe is my mum's creation and serves 4.  Other side dishes such as Fried Cabbage with Egg, Sambal Terasi and Salted Egg will compliment this dish very well.

Ingredients:
2 trouts, to be cleaned, washed, dried and cut into 3 portions each
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
a little water

1 big onion, to be peeled and finely sliced
1 clove garlic, to be peeled and finely sliced
1 red chillie, to be finely sliced
100 ml coconut milk
1 tbsp fresh tamarind pulp, to be mixed with 4 tbsp water
salt and sugar to taste
oil for frying

Blended Ingredients:
5 dried red chillies, to be cut into pieces and soaked in warm water
1 tsp shrimp paste (belacan)
3 tbsp salted soy beans (taucheo)

Method:
Mix turmeric powder, salt and a little water to a paste and marinate the fish pieces.  Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the fish pieces until golden brown.

Heat oil in a pot and stir-fry onion, garlic and chillie slices until fragrant.  Then, add in the blended ingredients and cook for a further 5 minutes.  Add in coconut milk and tamarind water (without pulp). Check seasoning by adding sugar and salt according to taste.  Finally, add in the fried fish pieces and let it simmer gently for a few minutes before turning off the heat.

Fried Cabbage with Egg

Ingredients:
300 - 400 g cabbage, to be cut in bite pieces
1 big onion, to be peeled and finely sliced
1 clove garlic, to be peeled and finely sliced
1 red chillie, to be finely sliced
1 egg
salt to taste
a little oil

Method:
Heat oil in a medium-size pan and add onion, garlic and chillie slices.  Stir-fry until fragrant and then, add in the cabbage pieces.  Season with salt to taste.  Break an egg (see step-by-step pictures below) and let it set for a while before breaking it up.  Mix egg and cabbage well.

Serve with hot rice, Sambal Terasi and Salted Egg!

Bon Appetit!