Salt Fish

Ingredients
600g salted fish eg thread fin or snapper
200ml cooking oil.
1 teaspoon mustart seeds
half teaspoon fenugreek seeds
160g sliced shallots
70g sliced garlic cloves
80g ginger, julienned
25g coarsely pounded fennel
3 sprigs curry leaves, shredded
450g commercial chili paste
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon fennel powder, 2 teaspoon cumin powder
120g tamarind mixed with 150ml water & Strained,
80g sugar, 80ml rice vinegar, half teaspoon salt & sugar
Method
Cut salted fish into 1.5cm pieces & soak in water for about 1 hour remove excess salt.
Dry well with absorbent paper or in the sun for half a day.
Heat oil & fry the dried fish pieces until golden brown & drain on absorbent paper.
Leaving about 100ml of the oil, heat the reserved oil & fry the mustard seeds & fenugreek until aromatic.
Add shallots, garlic slices, ginger, & fennel the curry leaves, saute until very aromatic.
Add the tamarind water & the remaining ingredients, except for the fried dried fish.
Bring to boil & then simmer until the gravy is thick & the oil has separated.
Cool the gravy stir in the salted fish pieces. Dish out & store in sterilised dry jars for up to three days before serving on the side.