Asam Pedas Pari (Hot n Sour StingRay )

This dish is one of my family's favourite even to my kids ! They just love hot and spicy food.....well,we are typical Malay.....hehehe. Anyway, there are a few versions of Asam Pedas in Malaysia varies from one state to another but the main ingredients has to be the ground dried chilly. Without this there will be no Asam Pedas. Besides using stingray we also can use other kinds of fish like red snapper and ikan siakap (I'm not sure what do we call this fish in English). I learn this recipe from my mother in-law and when I compare to other asam pedas recipe I think this is one of the easiest yet delicious recipe of asam pedas. For the first timer in the kitchen this is the kind of recipe that u can try....



ASAM PEDAS PARI
Ingredients :

5 shallots
2 cloves garlic
half teaspoon of powdered turmeric

(blend everything in a blender)

1/kg of sting ray cut into slices
a cup of ground dried chilli paste ( you can make it yourself or you can buy a ready made in a jarr or a packet)
2 cups of water
a stick of lemon grass (bruised)
3 pieces of dried tamarind skin (asam keping)
a cup of vegetable oil
salt an sugar to taste


Method :

- pour in the oil in a hot pot, generous.
- saute the shallots, garlic, turmeric and stick of lemon grass until transparents.
- add in the chilli paste and keep stirring on a medium heat .....for about 10 minutes or until the chilli turns into darker colour.

- add in the stingray, dried tamarind skin, water, salt and sugar to taste. Put on the lid and lower to heat and let it simmer until the fish is thoroughly cooked which takes about 15 minutes.

- You may put some okra in the Asam Pedas but make sure you put it after the fish is cooked. AS the okra goes into the pot, cover it and leave it for about 5 minutes until the okra is cooked, turn off the stove and the Asam pedas is ready to be served.

Asam Pedas is best served with steamed rice.