MASAK LADA (masak asam pedas lada)

a teaspoons each of:

   black pepper

   ketumbar

   jintan manis

   jintan putih

7 shallots

3 garlics

inch sized ginger, galangal, turmeric roots

belacan 

cili boh (blended red dried chillies) about 2 tablespoons

1 lemongrass

1 bunga kantan

a handful of daun kesum

1 teaspoon of kerisik

2 daun limau purut (kaffir leaves)

tamarind juice, about 1 cup

about 10 ladyfingers (bende)

In a dry pan, fry the black pepper, coriander seeds, cummin and aniseeds till fragnant. In a mortar, finely pound the spices. Blend all, shallots, garlic, galangal, ginger, turmeric roots, the finely pounded spices, belacan, cili boh, kerisik with abit of water. In a hot pot with oil, fry the blended stuff. Add slightly bruised lemongrass, kaffir leaves. Stir well. Then add the tamarind juice. Make the sauce slightly thin. When it starts to boil, add the fishes. Then add in the kantan, daun kesum and ladyfingers. Salt and sugar to taste.