Fish ambulthiyal is a traditional Sri Lankan recipe which was used as a food preservation method in ancient times. This is insanely delicious and sour. The main ingredients of this recipe are fish and Brindleberry (Goraka) paste. For fish, Kelawalla (YellowFin Tuna), Thalapath(SailFish) and Balaya (SkipBack Tuna) are used. Fish should be cut into flat chunks with around 1/2 inch height.
Brindleberry (Goraka) is a common ingredient mostly used in India and Sri Lanka and also in west and central Africa. This gives a sour flavor to the dish and mostly used for meat and fish curries. It is also used as a herb and has various names such as Indian Tamarind, Malabar Tamarind, Pot tamarind and etc. The Brindleberry (Goraka) fruit is mostly used for cuisine after sun dried. This paste can be easily found in supermarkets as packets or jars or this can be made by grinding the sun dried Brindleberry (Goraka) fruits using a grinder.
To make fish ambulthiyal we need a large clay pot which has space to lay the pieces of fish in a single layer without stacking them on top. As this recipe has some amount of acidity, we should not use a steel pan or a pot. The flavor of the fish fully depends on the quality of the Brindleberry (Goraka) paste and the amount of salt added. The more you preserve it, the more it becomes tasty!

Ingredients
- 500 grams fish, cut into flat chunks
- 1/4 cup Brindleberry (Goraka) paste
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons pepper
- 1 tablespoon chilli powder
- 2 tablespoons garlic and ginger paste
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- bunch of curry leaves
Instructions
- To a mixing bowl, add the Brindleberry (Goraka) paste.
- Pour water little by little and mix until well combined. The mixture should be a thick batter.
- Add salt, pepper, chilli powder, turmeric powder, cinnamon powder. curry powder and garlic and ginger paste. Mix all together until well combined.
- Take the fish pieces one by one and coat with the Brindleberry (Goraka) mixture. Then lay the pieces in the clay pot in a single layer.
- Repeat the process for all the fish pieces.
6. If there is leftover paste in the bowl, pour it over the fish.
7. Add the curry leaves to the dish.
8. Cook this in medium heat, covered for about 10-15 minutes. Let it simmer until water is fully evaporated.

Tips
- If you can’t find Brindleberry (Goraka) paste, can substitute it with tamarind paste but it’s sourness is more stronger than Brindleberry (Goraka).
- Do not use any spoon either steel or wooden, while the cooking is in progress. If you really want to give a mix, hold the pot from the both hands and give a little shake.
- If you have made more paste than you will be needed and if you need to save them for later, add the excess paste into a clean jar and refrigerate.



Didn’t you try out our Pol Sambola recipe yet?
38 comments
Long time supporter, and thought I’d drop a comment.
Your wordpress site is very sleek – hope you don’t mind me asking what theme you’re using?
(and don’t mind if I steal it? :P)
I just launched my site –also built in wordpress like yours– but the theme slows (!) the site
down quite a bit.
In case you have a minute, you can find it by searching for “royal cbd” on Google (would appreciate any feedback) – it’s still in the works.
Keep up the good work– and hope you all take care of yourself
during the coronavirus scare!
Hi Justin! Thank you so much for your kind words! This is actually a customized theme! You can also use the inbuilt themes and customize them! Good luck! 🙂
I could not refrain from commenting. Well written!
Thank you so much! 🙂
With havin so much content and articles do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright infringement?
My blog has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either written myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the
internet without my permission. Do you know any methods to
help reduce content from being ripped off? I’d genuinely appreciate it.
Hi! For your issue, there is no such way to prevent it as of my knowledge other than warning the hosts and authors via emails. If the particular site is reported continuously it will be automatically banned. 🙂
I like the valuable information you provide on your articles.
I will bookmark your blog and test again right here frequently.
I am somewhat certain I’ll be informed a lot of new stuff proper here!
Good luck for the next!
Thank you so much for your comment! It means alot! 🙂
Wow, awesome blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is fantastic, as well as the content!
Thank you so much! I started the blog recently! 🙂
Hi there, I found your blog via Google at the same time as searching for a related matter,
your website got here up, it appears good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hi there, simply was alert to your blog through Google, and located
that it is really informative. I’m gonna watch out for brussels.
I will be grateful for those who proceed this in future.
Lots of folks will likely be benefited from your writing.
Cheers!
Thank you so much for your amazing comment! 🙂
Great article! We are linking to this particularly great content on our site.
Keep up the good writing.
Thank you so much! 🙂
I enjoy what you guys are usually up too. This sort of clever work and coverage!
Keep up the amazing works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to our blogroll.
Thank you so much! 🙂
Pretty nice post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wanted
to say that I’ve really enjoyed surfing around your weblog posts.
After all I’ll be subscribing to your rss feed
and I hope you write again very soon!
Thank you so much! 🙂
Way cool! Some very valid points! I appreciate you penning this
write-up plus the rest of the website is really
good.
Thank you so much 🙂
This design is spectacular! You certainly know how to keep a reader
amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Excellent job.
I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it.
Too cool!
Thank you so much! 🙂
Its like you read my mind! You appear to know so much about this, like you wrote the book in it
or something. I think that you can do with some pics to drive the message home a little bit, but instead of that, this is
magnificent blog. A great read. I’ll definitely be
back.
Thank you so much! 🙂
I love what you guys tend to be up too. This kind of clever
work and reporting! Keep up the awesome works guys I’ve added you guys to my personal blogroll.
Thank you so much! 🙂
That is a really good tip particularly to those new to
the blogosphere. Simple but very precise info… Many thanks for sharing this one.
A must read article!
Thank you so much!
Excellent post. I was checking continuously
this blog and I am impressed! Extremely helpful info
particularly the last part 🙂 I care for such information much.
I was looking for this certain info for a very long time. Thank you and best of luck.
Glad that you like it! 🙂
I used to be able to find good advice from your content.
Thank you so much!
Looking forward to reading more. Great article.Really looking forward to read more. Fantastic.
Thank you so much!
You are so awesome! I don’t suppose I’ve truly read something like this
before. So good to find someone with a few genuine thoughts on this issue.
Seriously.. thanks for starting this up. This site
is one thing that’s needed on the internet, someone with
some originality!
Thank you so much!
Very great post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and wished to say that I’ve really enjoyed
browsing your weblog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing on your rss
feed and I’m hoping you write again very soon!
Thank you!