🇱🇰 Sri LankaCatalog recipe
Firm tuna simmered nearly dry in a black-peppery, tamarind-sour sauce until it clings to the fish in a dark, intensely concentrated coat.
For 4 servings.
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Toss the fish cubes with the crushed black pepper, curry powder and a pinch of salt; let it sit 10 minutes to take up the spice.
Dissolve the tamarind paste in 100ml warm water and strain out any fibers.
Layer the onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, pandan leaf and cinnamon stick in a heavy pot or clay pot, then arrange the spiced fish on top.
Pour the tamarind liquid over, drizzle with the oil, and bring to a bare simmer without stirring.
💡 Shake the pot gently instead of stirring with a spoon — the cubes should hold their shape.
Cover and cook on low until the liquid has almost entirely reduced into a thick, dark, clinging sauce and the fish is firm, 20–25 minutes.
Rest off the heat 5 minutes before serving; it tastes even better the next day.
Ambul thiyal comes from the deep south around Matara and Tangalle, developed as a way to keep fish edible in tropical heat before refrigeration — the sour, nearly dry sauce acted as a preservative. Dried goraka gives the traditional version its sourness and near-black color; tamarind is the common home substitute today.
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