Pindang Bandeng (Brasied Milk Fish with Sweet Soy Sauce)

Ingredients:

3 sliced Shallots
3 slices Garlic cloves
2 tsp. (10g) Tamarind (soaked in 1/4 cup hot water)
2 cups (500g) Water
1 bruised Lemon grass
2 tbsp. (30g) Oil
salt (as needed)
1/4 cup (62ml) Sweet soy sauce
1 Salam leaf
3 Holland red peppers (cut into 1/4" rings)
10 birdseye chilis
1/2 inch Galangal
3 lbs. Milk fish (or 2 whole)


Instructions:

1. Cut each fish into 2 crosswise.
2. Rub each piece with salt and some tamarind juice and let them marinate for 15 minutes.
3. Heat in a wide saucepot, add oil. Saute shallots and garlic until shallots are softened.
4. Add birdseye chilis, Holland red peppers, lemon grass, salam leaf, and galangal.
5. Stir for a minute then add water, sweet soy sauce, tamarind juice, and milk fish pieces.
6. Simmer until fish pieces are cooked and tender.
7. Serve hot with rice.

Tips:

You may use a pressure cooker so that fish bones would be tender and edible.