masam keueueng — Aceh, Indonesia

Masam keueueng is a thin, brothy fish stew defined by its pronounced sourness, drawn mainly from dried starfruit and tamarind rather than from lime or vinegar, balanced against chilli heat and the earthy colour of turmeric. Unlike many Indonesian fish curries, it is cooked without any coconut milk, leaving a clear, sharp-tasting broth. It is reported from Aceh, where sour, chilli-forward fish stews of this kind are common everyday cooking, made with whatever firm-fleshed sea or river fish is available that day. The dish is usually eaten with plain rice, the sourness of the broth cutting through the richness of other side dishes on the same table. Fish is cut into pieces and briefly seasoned. A paste of shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger and chilli is fried until fragrant, then simmered in water with dried starfruit slices, tamarind, and a stem of lemongrass. The fish is added once the broth is at a rolling simmer and cooked just long enough to stay firm rather than falling apart, since overcooking dulls both texture and sourness. Set against other sour fish preparations of the archipelago, this version is marked by its reliance on dried starfruit for a sharper, more concentrated sourness than tamarind alone gives, and by the complete absence of coconut milk, which keeps the broth thin. Some cooks add a handful of okra or eggplant; others keep it to fish and broth alone.