Kare Ikan

Description
If you read this recipe and think that it is hot you might like to know that the original recipe uses 14 small red peppers! Add more if you like. I only taste the sauce of this, because I don't like liver, and think it is hot enough. If you cannot get the lime leaves the only substitute I know of is lime zest. The flavors do improve if you make it in advance and then reheat.



Ingredients

 * 1½ lb fish fillet, cut into bite size
 * 6 shallots
 * 2 cloves garlic
 * 2 tsp ground coriander
 * 1 tsp ground ginger
 * ½ tsp powdered lemon grass
 * 1 tsp chilli powder
 * 1 salam leaf or bay leaf
 * ½ tsp turmeric
 * ½ cup tamarind water
 * 1 cup coconut milk
 * 2 tbsp vegetable oil
 * salt
 * 1 cucumber, sliced
 * mint

Directions

 * 1) Heat a little oil in a heavy frying-pan, and carefully brown the fish.
 * 2) Meanwhile, in another frying-pan, fry the chopped shallots and garlic until tender.
 * 3) Stir in the chilli, ginger, turmeric, coriander, lemon grass, salam, salt and tamarind water.
 * 4) Let this mixture simmer for 10 minutes, then put in the fish.
 * 5) Cover, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
 * 6) Serve hot, garnished with very thin slices of cucumber and chopped mint (alternatively, put the cucumber and mint into the kare itself for the last 2 minutes of cooking).