Pindang Patin (Pindang patin Palembang)
Overview
Pindang patin is a sour and spicy fish soup from Palembang in South Sumatra, made with patin, the pangasius catfish. Shallots, garlic, chilli, turmeric, ginger and galangal are pounded or sliced and boiled in water with lemongrass, salam leaves and a little shrimp paste, then the broth is soured with tamarind and sweetened with palm sugar. Thick steaks of the fish simmer briefly in the yellow broth with chunks of pineapple, tomato and whole bird's eye chillies, and handfuls of kemangi, lemon basil, are added at the end. The soup is fragrant, sweet, sour and gently hot, and it is eaten with plenty of steamed rice.
History
Pindang is an old word for cooking fish in brine or a sour, spiced liquid, a method that also helped fish keep longer, and it is native to Sumatra, especially Palembang. Every district of South Sumatra has its own version, such as pindang meranjat, made with smoked fish, and the lighter pindang pegagan. In 2018 Pindang Palembang was recognised as part of Indonesia's intangible cultural heritage.
Main ingredients
Pangasius catfish, tamarind, pineapple, tomato, lemon basil, shrimp paste. The soup is built on sweet and sour spiced yellow broth and is usually served hot. Diet: pescatarian; usually gluten-free.
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Recipe
Method
- 1
Pound or slice the shallots, garlic, chillies, turmeric, ginger and galangal.
- 210 min
Boil them in 1.5 l water with the lemongrass, salam leaves and shrimp paste for 10 minutes.
- 3
Add the tamarind water, palm sugar, salt, pineapple and tomatoes.
- 410 min
Add the fish and bird's eye chillies and simmer gently for 10 minutes without stirring.
- 5
Add the lemon basil and serve with rice.
- ✓
Serve. About 50 min from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
