Asam Laksa — Penang Tamarind Fish Noodles

Ingredients

• 1½ lb whole mackerel or 1 lb mackerel fillets
• 8 cups water
• 5 pieces asam gelugor (dried tamarind slices)
• 3 tbsp tamarind paste
• 8 dried red chilies, soaked
• 6 shallots
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 1 inch fresh turmeric
• 2 tbsp toasted shrimp paste (belacan)
• 3 tbsp palm sugar
• 1 lb thick rice laksa noodles
• 1 cup Cucumber, julienned
• 1 cup Pineapple, sliced thin
• 1 red onion, sliced paper-thin
• 1 cup mint and Vietnamese mint leaves
• 3 tbsp prawn paste (hae ko), to serve

Method

1. Poach the fish in the water with the asam gelugor for 10 minutes until it flakes at 145°F (63°C). Lift it out, flake the meat off, and discard the bones — but keep every drop of that poaching liquid.
2. Blend the chilies, shallots, lemongrass, turmeric, and belacan into a rough paste and stir it into the poaching liquid along with the tamarind paste and palm sugar.
3. Simmer 20 minutes, then add most of the flaked fish and cook 5 more minutes so it dissolves into the broth and thickens it.
4. Taste and push the balance until it's aggressively sour first, salty second, sweet last. Timid asam laksa is not worth making.
5. Boil the noodles and divide into bowls. Ladle the broth over and top with Cucumber, Pineapple, red onion, mint, and the reserved flaked fish.
6. Put a teaspoon of thick prawn paste on the edge of each bowl and let each person stir it in to taste.