My favorite method for preparing Sri Lankan dry sour fish, also known as Fish Ambul Thiyal. A foolproof recipe for the best-tasting fish Ambul Thiyal with the least amount of work.
Ambul Thiyal is a traditional method of preserving fish that developed in Sri Lanka's southern region. Every Sri Lankan enjoys this adaptable meal. Garcinia Cambogia, black pepper, and salt are the only ingredients required for the simple recipe. People added their own tiny twists over time, and now there are so many varieties of Ambul Thiyal. The method I'm describing is the one that works best for me.
Few Tips:
Use a cast iron pan or a clay pot. If you don't have both, use a heavy-bottomed pot that takes longer to cook and cool.
Cook on low heat at all times.
Some pieces of Garcinia cambogia/ Goraka are more sour than others. So, according to your preferences, modify the amount of Garcinia paste you'll use.
If the Ambul Thiyal paste becomes too thick when coating the fish, thin it up with a little water.
A lot of liquid oozes from the fish chunks. Taste the liquid to see if extra salt is required.
Allow the fish pieces to cool fully in the saucepan before storing them.
Ingredients:
I utilize a few aromatics in my recipe, including Ceylon cinnamon, curry leaves, and cardamom. All three impart a pleasant scent to the fish pieces.
Aside from black peppercorns, I add a pinch of red chile powder for some spice. This is completely optional.
For added taste, sprinkle with garlic powder. Some people also add crushed fresh garlic. However, I find that using garlic powder is easier, and real garlic makes it more difficult to retain Fish Ambul Thiyal for longer.
Garcinia Cambogia and black peppercorns are required ingredients in this recipe. I use premade garcinia cambogia paste/Goraka paste that I obtained from Sri Lanka. But I understand that this may not be an option for you, especially if you live abroad. Then you must perform the following. Soak a cup of whole garcinia Cambogia in water overnight. Drain the water and crush it into a fine paste the next morning. You now have your own homegrown Garcinia Cambogia.
Use whole black peppercorns that have been ground at the time of preparation. Also, do not grind it to a fine powder. We're searching for a little coarse powder.
How to balance the flavors:
A excellent Sri Lankan fish, Ambul Thiyal, has a good combination of sour and salt qualities. The easiest approach to do this is to taste the Ambul Thiyal paste before applying it on the fish. When you taste it, if it's too sour, add some water to dilute the paste and some salt to balance it out.
If you want more black pepper taste, use extra black peppers. or chili powder for added heat
Always add whatever quantity you desire, but make sure it is balanced. It's all up to you.
Serving options:
I enjoy Sri Lankan Fish Ambul Thiyal with rice and Coconut Sambol. Another option is to break them into bits and use them as a sandwich filler with some fresh toppings.
Easy
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
50 mins
