Fish Cencaru Sumbat

POINT TO PONDER

I went to a local supermarket the other day. I don't usually make the habit of buying things from local supermarket as I don't quite like the way they present the products. However, on that unforgettable day, I stopped at this particular supermarket as I wanted to buy drinks for my students of 18.

        The supermarket is not big at all. It is only three shop lots being turned into a supermarket. Still, the first few minutes, I went bonkers looking for the thing that I wanted especially as I was not used to the layout.

         When I finally found it, I scanned for the price. The drinks were arranged on the shelves. All three tiers were filled with different types of drink. Initially, I wanted to buy Drinho but, then when I saw the price, I decided to change to Milo. There was only one price label displayed. The price was typed in a huge number. The next big sized thing on the label was the name of the supermarket. As that was the only available label, I thought that all the drinks were at the same price - and that somewhat encouraged me to take Milo.

            But, when I went to the counter, they charged me more than I expected. Should I just pay, I thought to myself. Why must I? So I asked. The lady said that, the price that I quoted was meant for Drinho only and not for Milo. Again I asked, how could that be as the label did not indicate that. I called her to the shelf. She pointed out the small printing. True enough the word Drinho was there...but then again where was the label for Milo? Of course, typical cashier lady, she mocked me.

             One thing about this small supermarket, they love to trap their customers. So, be warned everyone of their traps. (Ever since Tanda Putra, I started to view people differently.)

INGREDIENT

6 medium-sized cencaru (Some local call them as 'Ikan Jaket' due to the thickness of their scale.
                                         Clean the fish and slit the upper part so that you can put in the sambal.)
2 cups of chilli
1 thumb-sized belacan
1 teaspoon of coriander
1 teaspoon of jintan manis
1 thumb-sized of galangal (grind coriander, jintan manis and galangal.)
2 lemon grass (pound them)
1 thumb-sized ginger (pound it)
2 1/2 thumb-sized tamarind pulp (you are to extract the juice using plain water.)
1/2 cup of plain water
salt
sugar
oil

1. Heat the wok.
2. Pour in the oil and, once it is hot, pour in the chilli and belacan. The belacan should be sprinkled.
    Let it fry until the chilli curdles.
3. Add in the coriander, jintan manis, galangal, ginger and lemon grass.
4. Leave it for five minutes and then pour in the tamarind juice.
5. Add in sugar and salt. Let it simmer for a while. Turn off the bunner when the sauce appears paste
    like.
6. Spoon the paste into each fish. Then wrap up the fish using aluminium foil. Grill the fish.
7. Leave for 15 to 20 minutes.

MY THOUGHTS

The fish can be eaten with boiled rice. It is best served with sayur berair as the fish is rather dry.