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Pindang serani
Fish in sour turmeric broth
Pindang serani: Jepara's fish in a clear, sour turmeric broth with starfruit, tomato and basil
Pindang serani belongs to Jepara and the fishing towns of the north coast of Central Java, where it is cooked at home for lunch and served at seaside warungs. Traditionally it is made with milkfish (bandeng) or grouper simmered in a pale yellow broth of turmeric, galangal and lemongrass, soured with sour starfruit and sharpened with chilli and basil. It is light and restoring, with about 28 g of protein a portion from the fish. Milkfish is very bony, so sea bass or grouper steaks are easier at home. The common mistake is boiling the soup hard once the fish is in, which clouds it and breaks the flesh. Chef's tip: bruise the turmeric, galangal and ginger rather than grinding them, so the broth stays clear.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb sea bass, grouper or milkfish steakscut into 4–6 pieces
- 1 limejuiced
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1.2 litres water
- 1 ⅝ in fresh turmericbruised, or 1 tsp ground
- 1 ⅝ in galangalbruised
- 1 ⅛ in gingerbruised
- 2 lemongrassstalks, bruised
- 3 Indonesian bay leaves (daun salam)or 2 bay leaves
- 5 shallotsthinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlicthinly sliced
- 8 sour starfruit (belimbing wuluh)halved; or 2 tbsp tamarind water
- 2 tomatoescut into wedges
- 6 bird's eye chillieswhole
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 handful lemon basil or Thai basil
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Rub 1 ½ lb sea bass, grouper or milkfish steaks with 1 lime and half of ¾ tsp salt and leave while you start the broth.
5 minStep 2: Bring 1.2 litres water to the boil with 1 ⅝ in fresh turmeric, 1 ⅝ in galangal, 1 ⅛ in ginger, 2 lemongrass, 3 Indonesian bay leaves (daun salam) and 4 kaffir lime leaves. Simmer for 8 minutes, until the broth is pale yellow and fragrant.
8 minStep 3: Add 5 shallots, 3 cloves garlic, 8 sour starfruit (belimbing wuluh), 6 bird's eye chillies, 1 tsp sugar and the rest of ¾ tsp salt and simmer 3 minutes.
3 minStep 4: Lower in the fish and keep the broth at a gentle simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily at the bone.
10 minStep 5: Add 2 tomatoes and 1 handful lemon basil or Thai basil, simmer 1 minute more, then taste for salt and sourness. Serve in bowls with rice.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pindang serani take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lime?
- Lemon, same amount.
- What can I use instead of indonesian bay leaves (daun salam)?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
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