Tangy Indonesian Sweet and Sour Catfish

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized catfish, cut into pieces
• 1 lime
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
• 1 thumb-sized galangal, bruised
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, deveined
• 4-5 pieces of tamarind
• Leaves from 3 bunches of basil, stems removed
• 2 red curly chilies, sliced diagonally
• 20 red bird’s eye chilies
• 1 tomato, diced
• Cooking oil
• Water
• Salt, sugar, pepper, and seasoning powder to taste

Spice Paste:

• 4 thumb-sized pieces of old turmeric
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
• 5 shallots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger

Steps:

1. Squeeze lime juice over the cleaned catfish pieces and let them sit for 5 minutes. Fry briefly until lightly golden brown.

2. Sauté the spice paste until fragrant, then add bay leaf, lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. Stir until the spices are cooked through and aromatic.

3. Add approximately 1 liter of water. Season with salt, pepper, sugar, seasoning powder, tamarind, sliced red chilies, and whole bird’s eye chilies until the sweet and sour taste is balanced.

4. Add the fried catfish and let it simmer until the fish is cooked and the flavors are absorbed. Just before it’s done, add basil leaves and diced tomatoes. Stir gently to combine.

5. Once everything is well mixed, it’s ready to serve. Enjoy your Sweet and Sour Ikan Patin!

This delightful dish combines the tangy flavors of tamarind with the aromatic spices, creating a delicious Indonesian-style sweet and sour fish that’s perfect for sharing with loved ones.