VIETNAMESE FISH CURRY

I am acquainted with the name Vietnam ever since I was young, due to our father's political ideology. I remember as young as in middle school, he made sure I read, be aware of the political scenario worldwide. With age, I started liking exploring countries through my reads, learning about their people, physical and political boundaries, their revolution, survival strategy, though not cuisine as much. There was a time when Kolkata was much influenced by the Vietnamese revolution . Kolkata also has  a prime location named after Ho Chi Minh.

With an estimated 90.0 million inhabitants, it is the world's 13th most populous country. It is bordered with China to the North, Laos to the Northwest, Cambodia to the Southwest, and the South China Sea to east. The capital city being Hanoi since the reunification of North and South Vietnam in 1976. What I did not know was about its wonderful cuisine. Learning about a country's cuisine is knowing about its people and culture. It was only after landing in this island that I tasted Vietnamese dishes and instantly fell in love with it. [Sourced from WIKI]

Vietnamese Cuisine combines five fundamental taste elements. The common ingredients include fish sauce, shrimp paste, soy sauce, rice, fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables. Vietnamese recipes use lemon grass, ginger, mint, Vietnamese mint, long coriander, Saigon cinnamon, bird's eye chilli, lime, basil leaves. [Sourced from WIKI]

I love Nem Cuon [salad rolls], their various soups with fresh herbs. Their cuisine has a finer taste with minimal use of oil. I need to have more expertise to prepare their unique rice paper rolls, thought why not start with a humble pot of fish curry.

INGREDIENTS :

White fish fillets : 500 gm
Tomatoes : 2 [medium]
 Rainforest fruit Jeowbong paste : 1 tsp [ I used normal red chilli paste]
 Garlic Cloves : 2
Fresh Ginger ; 1 inch
Fresh Galangal : 1 inch [ I skipped ]
Palm Sugar : 2 tsp [ I skipped ]
Chicken stock paste : 2 tsp [ I used a cube of chicken stock ]
Shallots : 2
Fish Sauce : 1 tsp
Tamarind paste : 1 tsp
Lemon juice : 1 tsp
Soy sauce : 2 tbsp [ alternatively tamari, said to be gluten free soy sauce ]
Peeled Fresh Turmeric : 1/2 finger length piece [ I used turmeric powder ]
Oil : 2 tbsp [ authentically peanut oil ]
Lemongrass : 2 stalks [ only the white part ]
Vinegar : 3 tbsp
Salt : As required
Coconut milk : 150 ml

 METHOD :

Wash, cut fish into small pieces. Marinate with vinegar, salt, keep aside for 1/2 an hour.

Cut shallots, keep white, green parts in separate bowls, wash. Take white part of the lemongrass, cut into pieces, bruise. 

Make smooth paste with garlic, ginger, deseeded tomatoes, chicken stock paste, tamarind paste in blender. Transfer to bowl. Add soy sauce, salt, fish sauce, turmeric powder, chilli paste.

Heat oil in wok. Add white pieces of shallots, lemon grass pieces. Stir cook for 2 minutes. Add spice paste. Saute for about 2-3 minutes. Add a small cup of water. Let it come to boil.

Once gravy comes to boil, add fish pieces draining the marinade. Carefully give a stir. Cover, let boil for about 3 minutes. Remove cover, add coconut milk. Stir carefully to avoid breaking of fish pieces. Let boil for about 4 minutes. Switch off gas stove, transfer to bowl, garnish with green part of shallots.