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Sri Lankan sour fish (fish ambul thiyal)
ඇඹුල් තියල් (ambul thiyal)
Pieces of tuna coated in a paste of goraka (a souring fruit), black pepper and salt, then cooked slowly in a clay pot until all the liquid has gone. A traditional way of preserving fish from the south of Sri Lanka; recipe by Roshani Wickramasinghe, with Peter Kuruvita's spiced version.
- Servings
- 4
- Preparation
- 10 min
- Cooking
- 40 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
Equipment
- Clay pot (chatty) or heavy cast-iron pan with a lid; two if needed so the fish lies in one layer
Ingredients
Method
Mix the goraka paste, pepper, salt, chilli powder and garlic powder with the water to a thick, batter-like paste.
Brush the clay pot or pan with a thin coat of oil.
Why It stops the fish sticking and lets the pieces roast a little, which adds flavour.
Dip each piece of tuna in the paste, coat it well and lay it in the pot, wide side down. Arrange all the pieces in one layer, each touching the bottom; never stack them. Use two pots if needed.
Spread any leftover paste over the fish and add the curry leaves and cinnamon.
Cover and cook over a very low heat until the fish releases its water and is mostly cooked. Taste the liquid for salt and turn the pieces carefully, one by one.
Timer · 20 min20:00Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook uncovered until all the water has evaporated. Let it cool completely in the pot.
Why Ambul thiyal is cooked dry: the low moisture is what made it a way to keep fish.
Timer · 20 min20:00
To drink & serve with
Wickramasinghe uses the same unwashed pot, with the fish leftovers and curry leaves, to start a creamy coconut fish curry.
Substitutions
- Goraka paste → Soak about a cup of dried goraka overnight, drain and grind to a paste (Wickramasinghe).
- Garlic and chilli powder → Peter Kuruvita grinds fresh garlic, green chillies, ginger and whole spices (cardamom, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, roasted curry powder) with the goraka on a stone.
Common mistakes
- Stacking the fish: the lower pieces stew and the upper ones stay pale.
- High heat: the paste burns before the fish has released its water.
Storage & reheating
Cool quickly in the pot, then refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within 2 days (UK FSA). The traditional keeping qualities of dry ambul thiyal are not a substitute for refrigeration.
Safety
Contains fish. Tuna is prone to histamine formation if not kept cold: buy it very fresh and refrigerate until cooking (US FDA: 4 °C or below, use within 2 days). Cook until opaque throughout.
Allergens
Fish
Check labels: stock, bacon and sauces can contain further allergens.
Dietary
gluten-free · dairy-free
Sour fish from the south
Roshani Wickramasinghe describes ambul thiyal as a traditional way of preserving fish that originated in the south of Sri Lanka. The basic recipe needs only three things: goraka (the dried, very sour fruit of Garcinia cambogia), black pepper and salt. The fish, usually tuna, is coated in the paste and cooked until completely dry, so that no moisture remains.
Peter Kuruvita's version for SBS shows how much the dish varies: a paste of goraka with cardamom, coriander, cumin, roasted curry powder, cinnamon, chillies, garlic and ginger, cooked in an earthenware chatty over a coal fire until the water has evaporated.
How it connects
Place
- origin Sri Lanka In preparation