For ease of appreciation, I am calling this sardine although I always use canned mackerel cause I don't like the canned sardine that we get in Malaysia. Also Ayam Brand works fine. This is a simple yet hearty dish to make in an emergency like when we had the Covid-19 pandemic and there was a movement control restriction. It is always good to have some canned food with longer shelf life in such times. Other items I stocked up on were canned chickpeas for protein, Campbell mushroom soup and tomato puree for pasta sauces, dhal and a variety of pasta.
This dish can be eaten with rice, thosai, rotis and even in a sandwich. It also freezes well, so another + point when grocery shopping is curtailed. You can make this as simple as the ingredients you have on hand or extend the recipe if you have more in your fridge.
Ingredients:
2 canned of 230g mackerel in tomato sauce
1 large onion chopped
2" ginger, pounded
4-5 chilli padi (bird's eye chilli), smashed
1 medium size tomato, chopped
2 tbsp chilli powder
2 tbsp fish curry powder
1 tbsp chilli flakes
salt and sugar to taste
1 healthy stem of curry leaves
1 small bunch of free coriander leaves - roughly chopped
juice of 1/2 a large lime
oil
(Adjust the chilli to your own spice level.)
Method:
Saute the ginger, onions and chilli padi and when the smell starts rising, add the chilli flakes, curry power and chilli powder.
Add a wee bit of water to keep the mixture from burning.
Stir continuously for a 2 minutes and the add the chopped tomato.
After about 3-4 minutes add the canned mackerel sauce and all. I usually remove the main bone but that is just my preference.
Using the spatula, break up the fish as we don't want it in big chunks but neither should you completely smash it to a puree.
Season to taste.
Cook till just slightly dry, then crush the curry leaves with your hands and chuck into the wok.
Add in the lime and adjust to taste.
Once you are satisfied turn off the heat and add the chopped coriander leaves.
Stir and serve.
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