Coconut-tamarind curry with mango-ginger salsa

For the mango-ginger salsa:

1 mango
1 green onion, minced
1 teaspoon minced green chili pepper (ají cristal or serrano)
1 1/2 teaspoon grated or minced ginger
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon mint, finely chopped
Squeeze of lemon juice
Salt

Peel the mango, cut the flesh away from the pit, and chop into small chunks. Combine with all the remaining ingredients and season to taste with lemon and salt. Set aside while you prepare the curry. 

For the curry:

4 fish filets
1 can coconut milk (unshaken)
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
5 to 7 tablespoons tamarind puree
1 tablespoon fish sauce (nam pla)

Skim most of the thick coconut off the top of the can and heat it in a skillet. Add the shrimp paste and 1 teaspoon of the curry paste. Stir to dissolve the curry paste, then add the rest of the coconut milk, 5 tablespoons of the tamarind paste, and the fish sauce. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Taste and add more curry and tamarind as desired. To add additional curry, spoon the curry into a small bowl, add some of the coconut mixture, and stir or whisk to blend, then pour it into the curry sauce. Add the fish filets and simmer until cooked. If the filets are thin, this will only take a few minutes. Serve over rice in bowls, topped with the mango-ginger salsa.

Pebre is the Chilean salsa (and in Chile, salsa refers to any sauce, not a Mexican-style salsa). It is used as a condiment for meats or a topping for bread (never chips—except when gringos are around). It’s different from Mexican salsa, in that the ingredients are slightly different, and it isn’t as chunky (though I suppose not all Mexican salsas are chunky…).

Chile’s ají cristal is a fairly mild pepper, so Juana usually adds two to the pebre. It has a very clean, green flavor with a bit of heat. Serrano would probably be a good substitute, but you’ll need to adjust the quantity to taste. Juana chops everything by hand and then combines it, but when I make it I just throw everything in the food processor.

Sra. Juana’s pebre

1 bunch cilantro, minced (about a cup)
2 ají cristal, minced
1 small tomato, peeled, seeded, and minced
2 green onions (white part and a little green), minced
2 cloves garlic. pressed or minced
Fresh lemon juice or Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Combine all the vegetables, then add enough lemon and oil to hold it together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.