Sri Lankan Sour Fish Curry (Ambul Thiyal)
ඇඹුල් තියල් ambul thiyalSay it: am-BOOL TEE-yahl
Ambul thiyal is Sri Lanka’s famously sour, peppery dry fish curry, especially associated with the Southern Province around Galle and Matara. Chunks of tuna are cooked slowly with goraka (Garcinia quaesita), black pepper, turmeric, curry leaves, and pandan until the liquid disappears and the fish is coated in a dark, sticky, tart glaze. Unlike most Sri Lankan curries it contains no coconut milk, so the flavor is intense and concentrated. It is eaten with rice and is prized for keeping well.
Sri Lankan Sour Fish Curry (Ambul Thiyal)
ඇඹුල් තියල්, ambul thiyal
Pronounced am-BOOL TEE-yahl
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains fish. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Fish and souring mixture
For the pot
Method
If using dried goraka, soak it in the hot water for 15 minutes, then mash and press it through a sieve into a thick paste, keeping the liquid. If using goraka paste, whisk it with the hot water until smooth; if using the tamarind-lime substitute, whisk that with the hot water instead.
Pat the tuna dry and rub it with the turmeric, salt, and half the black pepper, then coat the pieces gently with the goraka mixture.
Heat the coconut oil in a clay pot or heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the curry leaves, pandan, green chilies, garlic, and ginger and fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
Arrange the fish in the pot in a single layer, pour over any remaining goraka liquid, and scatter with the remaining black pepper.
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 12–15 minutes, until the fish is just cooked at the edges but the chunks still hold together.
Uncover, lower the heat, and cook for 8–12 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally rather than stirring, until the liquid has evaporated and the fish is coated in a dark, glossy, sticky glaze.
Remove from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.
Regional variants
Some Southern cooks add a few sliced small onions or a short cinnamon stick to the pot; when goraka is scarce, tamarind with a squeeze of lime is the usual stand-in.
Cook's notes
- Use a firm, meaty fish such as yellowfin tuna, swordfish, or king mackerel; delicate fish will break apart during the long reduction.
- Goraka is very tart, so taste after the first few minutes of reducing and add a little more paste only if needed.
- Shake the pot instead of stirring to keep the tuna chunks intact and the glaze even.
Serve with
Steamed rice and a simple cucumber salad; also good with coconut roti.
Make ahead and storage
Cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a covered pan with a splash of water, or serve at room temperature.
