Mackerel in Spicy and Sour Curry Sauce (Acar Ikan Kembung)

There is one tradition in Indonesia that I really miss. We call it 'Bancaan'. It is a dinner tradition which you are gathering to do some prayer with all of your neighbor and you provide food for them. Usually we put the food in a lunch box made from carton or plastic and give it to the neighbor who came. It comprises of rice and some side dishes like spicy fried potatoes, fried noodle, spicy chicken, spicy long beans in curry sauce, spicy and sour chayote curry, pickled cucumber and carrot (sometimes), fried tempe, fried tofu, fried dried salted fish and potato fritter. It's unique you know..Usually we have that tradition for anniversary including death anniversary, birthday party, Indonesian Independent Day, celebrating new born baby (for celebrating new born baby, the side dish is quite different. Usually it consist of spicy fish, spicy vegetable  salad with  grated coconut, stir fry tempe, fried tempe, fried tofu and fried dried salted fish) or a week before wedding. It's common in Indonesia especially in Central Java to give away lunch box along with the wedding invitation to our neighbor or friends. But right now, instead of giving lunch box contained rice and its side dishes, a lot of people just order some buns filled with cheese, chocolate or jam. Yes, it is easier but the old fashioned is better I guess...because I'm a big fan of 'Bancaan' hehehe....Now, I'm going to share one of my recipe which is one of the side dish in 'Bancaan' tradition but I add fish in it. So here it is the recipe of Mackerel in Spicy and Sour Curry Sauce (Acar Ikan Kembung):

Ingredients:
2 mackerel, scaled it and marinate it with 1 squeezed lemon for 20 minutes
1 medium sized cucumber, julienned
1 galangal, bruised it
2 Indian bay leaves
1 lemon grass, tied into a knot and bruised it
4 red Thai chili peppers, cut into angle
2 tbs white vinegar
150 ml water
1 stalk green onion, cut into 1 cm long
5 springs of cilantro/ coriander leaves, chopped finely
2 tbs vegetable oil to saute the blended spices
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Spices to blend:
4 shallots
3 cloves of garlic
2 candle nuts
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 cm ginger
1 tsp tamarind

Direction:
Blend the spices while deep frying the fish until golden brown.
Saute the blended spices along with galangal, bay leaves, red Thai chili peppers, and lemongrass until fragrant.
Add julienned cucumbers, water, white vinegar, salt, sugar and green onion. Add the fish and green onion. Bring it to boil and let it shimmer.
Sprinkle with cilantro/ coriander leaves when you serve it.

 Serving 2 people