Kuah Lakse Tongkol - tuna in a creamy curry sauce

Ingredients

• 1 bonito or 5 slicesbonito or tuna
• 500 gpotatoes
• 1salam leaf
• 2 cmgalangal
• 2curry leaves
• 2 tspcurry powder
• 750 mlcoconut milk
• 1 tspsalt
• 25 gteri nasi (small dried anchovies)
• 1/2 tsppalm sugar
• 2 tbspoil
• 5 clovesgarlic
• 5shallots
• 2 cmginger
• 5dried chillies, soaked

Instructions

1. 1

   Fry the anchovies

   Soak the teri nasi in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain. Heat oil in a pan and fry the anchovies until crisp. Set them aside.

2. 2

   Prepare the ingredients

   Cut the potatoes into small cubes. Pound or grind the garlic, shallots, ginger and soaked dried chillies into a paste.

3. 3

   Fry the spice paste

   Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the paste for 4 minutes. Add the galangal and salam leaf, then fry for another 2 minutes. Stir in the curry powder.

4. 4

   Add fish and potatoes

   Add the tuna and turn it so it is coated with the spices. Add the potatoes and mix well.

5. 5

   Simmer in coconut milk

   Pour in the coconut milk and bring it to the boil, stirring. Add the curry leaves, palm sugar and salt, then cook gently until the fish and potatoes are done.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Scatter the fried teri nasi over the curry and serve.

What is Kuah Lakse Tongkol?

This Indonesian-style dish pairs tuna with potatoes in a gently spiced coconut milk sauce. Kuah refers to a sauce or broth, while tongkol is commonly used for tuna-like fish.

Here, a fried aromatic paste builds the flavour, and crisp teri nasi provides contrast at the end. The result is a creamy, savoury curry with tender chunks rather than a smooth sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1750 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

The potatoes and coconut milk contribute most of the carbohydrates, while the coconut milk and frying oil provide much of the fat. Tuna and dried anchovies supply protein; serve the curry with rice and vegetables if you want to round out the plate.

Build flavour with the spice paste

The paste: Garlic, shallots, ginger and soaked dried chillies are pounded or ground together, then fried before the liquid goes in. Give it the full 4 minutes so its raw edge cooks away.

The aromatics: Galangal and the salam leaf cook briefly with the paste, followed by curry powder. Stir well so the powder is dispersed and does not sit in dry clumps.

Choose and coat the fish

The fish: The recipe gives the choice of one bonito or five slices of tuna. Add it after frying the spices and turn the pieces gently to coat them.

Keep the pieces intact as much as possible when stirring. A gentle simmer later is less likely to break them up than a hard boil.

Get the potatoes tender

The cut: Small, evenly sized potato cubes cook more consistently and are easier to eat alongside the fish. Mix them through the spiced fish before adding the coconut milk.

The doneness: Simmer gently until the potatoes are tender when pierced and the fish is cooked through. The recipe does not give a fixed simmering time, so use these cues rather than relying on the 60-minute total time.

Simmer the coconut milk gently

Bring the coconut milk to the boil while stirring, then reduce the heat and cook gently. Avoid letting the sauce bubble vigorously, which can make it harder to keep the fish in pieces.

Add the curry leaves, palm sugar and salt after the coconut milk comes to the boil, as directed. Stir carefully so the seasoning is spread throughout the sauce.

Finish with crisp anchovies

The topping: Soaking the teri nasi for 15 minutes before frying helps prepare it for the pan. Drain it well, then fry until crisp and keep it aside until serving.

Add the anchovies at the end rather than simmering them in the sauce, so they keep their crunchy texture. Serve with steamed rice if you would like a more substantial meal.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the potatoes into similar-sized cubes so they become tender at about the same time.
• Drain the soaked anchovies thoroughly before frying to reduce oil splatter.
• Fry the spice paste over moderate heat and stir it often so it does not catch.
• Stir gently after adding the fish to help keep the pieces intact.
• Taste the sauce near the end and adjust the salt only if needed.
• Keep the fried anchovies separate until serving to preserve their crunch.

Variations

• Adjust the heat: Use fewer dried chillies for a milder curry.
• Change the fish: Use tuna slices in place of bonito, as suggested in the recipe.
• Add vegetables: Stir in a handful of greens near the end and cook until just tender.
• Serve with rice: Pair the curry with steamed rice to soak up the coconut sauce.
• Make it more aromatic: Add extra curry leaves if you have them available.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Boiling the sauce hard: Lower the heat after it boils so the fish stays in larger pieces.
• Uneven potato cubes: Cut them to a similar size so they cook evenly.
• Undercooked spice paste: Fry it for the stated 4 minutes before adding the other aromatics.
• Wet anchovies in hot oil: Drain them well after soaking to limit splattering.
• Adding the topping too early: Sprinkle on the fried anchovies just before serving to keep them crisp.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan until piping hot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened; store the crisp anchovies separately if possible.

Frequently asked questions