Quick and easy

“Curry ambila is one of it’s typical Kristang cuisine. Braised in pork, chilies and long beans. The intoxicating seasoning paste in this Eurasian stew may be used to flavor chicken, beef, lamb, or seafood.”

A traditional eurasian dish influenced by the Portuguese and Dutch community in Malacca/Malaysia. This curry is typically made during the festive christmas season.

You will need:

Chilli paste/rempah:
6 -10 dried chillies (adjust to personal preference)
2 galangal
1 tablespoon tumeric/ 1 thumb size fresh tumeric
2 big red onion
6 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon belacan/shrimp paste
2 lemon grass

Oil – canola or vegetable oil
Blended rempah
2 lemon grass (bruise root for more flavour)
1 smoked pork hock
500g bacon bones (optional to mix both – use one or the other)
500ml water
1 tablespoon tamarind
Season sugar and salt
250-500g french beans

Blend all the rempah ingredients till it becomes a smooth paste. In a big pot, add the oil before adding in the blended rempah on a medium to high heat. Bruise the root of the lemon grass before adding it in, this allows more flavours to seep into the curry’s sauce. Once the rempah is fragrant and pungent add the smoked pork hock a/ornd bacon bones. Mix everything well before adding water and covering it over with a lid to simmer for a good 1-2 hrs on low heat. After simmering for a while, the curry sauce begins to thicken in consistency. Season the curry with tamarind, salt and sugar. Lastly, add the french beans into the curry and mix well before serving it with a bowl of basmati rice.