GAENG LEUNG

Southern yellow curry with smoked mackerel

and pineapple

A recipe from way down

south – bright with chillies and turmeric, sharp with lime and tamarind – and the pineapple adds a burst of sweet fruit. The smoked mackerel? I had some in the fridge during Lockdown 1 and discovered that its oily

smokiness went beautifully with all the

other flavours.

Serves four to six INGREDIENTS

12 red bird’s eye chillies 4 dried bird’s eye chillies, soaked for 20 minutes in warm water and drained 10cm fresh turmeric, peeled

and finely chopped 4 large cloves of garlic,

finely chopped

2 Thai shallots or 1 regular small shallot, peeled and chopped Pinch of salt

1 tbsp shrimp paste 1 tbsp tamarind paste 2 tsp palm sugar (this can be replaced with regular sugar if palm sugar is hard

to source)

½ ripe pineapple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced 150g smoked mackerel, skinned and torn with

your hands

3 tbsp lime juice, or more

to taste Pinch of salt or a dash of

fish sauce

METHOD

Place the chillies, turmeric, garlic, shallots and salt together into a pestle and mortar and pound – or pop in to a mini-chopper or blender with 100ml water. Blitz to a smooth paste. In a large saucepan add the paste mixture to 600ml water. Bring to the boil. Add the shrimp

paste along with the tamarind paste and palm sugar, and stir until dissolved. Add the pineapple and bring back

to the boil. Add the smoked mackerel and heat through gently. Remove from the heat and add half the lime juice. Taste, and add more if needed, plus a little salt or fish sauce – it should be sour and hot with the sweetness of the pineapple coming through. Serve with rice and a crispy Thai omelette

on the side.