Amshi Tikshi

The Saraswat sour-hot fish curry — 'amshi' means sour (from kokum) and 'tikshi' means spicy (from dried red chilli) in Konkani. Mackerel, pomfret, or sardines cooked in a thin, vivid-red gravy of ground dried red chilli, tamarind or kokum sol, and a small amount of coconut; the gravy is thinner than the coconut-milk-based Goan fish curry and more aggressively sour, with the kokum providing a fruitier, darker sourness than tamarind. The amshi tikshi technique is the Saraswat method for dealing with very fresh, strongly flavoured fish; the acidity cuts through the fat and the chilli heat enhances the fish's natural flavour.