Secret of making sour and spicy fish soup

JAKARTA (JP): This week, Chinese cookbook writer Mary Winata shares her secret of making sour and spicy fish soup. She combines fish fillet with the fresh taste of lemon juice and tamarind, the flavor of two kinds of chilies and the fragrances of kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass.

As for the dessert, this sweet and slightly tart almond pudding will nicely complete your meal.

Mary Winata's fish soup

* 500 g fish fillets * 1 tbsp lemon juice * 1 tsp salt * 100 g canned sardines in tomato sauce * 3 tbsp oil * 2 stalks lemon grass * 4 cm galangal * 2 cloves garlic, ground * 3 shallots, ground * 2 chilies, ground * 2 cm turmeric, ground * 1.5 l water * 10 kaffir lime leaves * 2 ginger flowers, (locally known kecombrang) * 10 pieces dried tamarind, seeds removed or lemon juice * 50 g palm sugar * salt and pepper to taste * 15 bird's eye chilies

1. Marinate fish fillet with salt and lemon juice. Set aside for 10 minutes. Steam until cooked, cut into cubes.

2. Heat oil, stir-fry lemon grass, galangal, garlic, shallots, chilies and turmeric until fragrant. Add fish fillet, sardines, water, lime leaves, ginger flower, tamarind or lemon juice, sugar, salt, pepper and bird's eye chilies. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes.

3. Garnish with a few slices of cucumber, sliced red chilies and mint leaves. Serve hot. (Makes 8 servings)

Almond pudding

* 1 packet powdered plain agar * 750 ml water * 3 tbsp condensed milk * 1/4 tsp almond essence * 1 canned lychee

1. Cook gelatin with water over medium heat. Bring to the boil, stirring all the while. Remove from heat and add condensed milk and almond essence, stir well.

2. Pour into a mold, let stand until almost set and reaches room temperature. Refrigerate overnight until set.

3. Remove from mold. Arrange lychees on top of pudding and drizzle canned lychee syrup over it. (Makes 8 servings)

-- Recipes courtesy of Aneka Sup Lezat dan Sehat and Dessert ala Cina by Mary Winata (PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama)