Pindang Serani — Central Java, Indonesia

Pindang serani is a clear, sour-savory fish soup built on a yellow turmeric broth. Chunks of sea fish simmer in a light stock sharpened with tamarind and studded with halved tomatoes, giving the bowl a tang that sits between a sour soup and a light curry, rather than the coconut-milk-heavy stews more common elsewhere on Java. It is reported from Jepara, on the north coast of Central Java, a fishing town where the daily catch — commonly mackerel, snapper or other firm white or oily fish — supplies markets and household kitchens directly. The dish is closely tied to that coastal supply and to the presence of Chinese-Indonesian cooking in the area, which favors this kind of light, sour, tomato-flecked broth over richer curries. To prepare it, shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger and candlenuts are ground into a paste and briefly fried before water is added to form the stock. Lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and bay leaves go in for aroma, tamarind water and sliced chili for the sour heat, and tomatoes and fish last, simmered gently so the fish stays intact and the broth stays clear rather than cloudy. What marks this bowl is its balance: sour before spicy, light rather than creamy, and finished with fresh basil or celery leaf scattered on top just before serving. Cooks vary the ratio of tamarind to tomato and the choice of fish according to the day's catch, so two bowls from two kitchens rarely taste quite the same.