Skip to content
FriendsPantry

Sri Lankan

Fish ambul thiyal

Non-vegetarian

මාළු ඇඹුල් තියල් · Malu ambul thiyal

A dry, sour and peppery tuna curry from southern Sri Lanka, cooked down with goraka (here tamarind), black pepper and spices until the fish is coated and keeps for days.

Fish ambul thiyal is a Sri Lankan main course, ready in about 50 minutes and made with tuna, goraka (garcinia cambogia) and black pepper. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

Start cooking

No licensed photograph of this dish yet.

Prep
15 min
Cook
35 min
Total
50 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
253

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Grind the soaked goraka (opens in a new tab) with the pepper (opens in a new tab), cayenne, turmeric (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab), ginger and salt with a little water into a thick paste.

  2. Step 2

    Coat the tuna (opens in a new tab) cubes in the paste and arrange them in a single layer in a clay pot or heavy saucepan (opens in a new tab) with the cinnamon (opens in a new tab), curry leaves (opens in a new tab) and pandan (opens in a new tab).

    • 5 min

    Food safety: Keep raw fish chilled until cooking.

  3. Step 3

    Add the water, bring to a simmer, then cook uncovered on low heat, shaking the pot rather than stirring, until the liquid has almost completely evaporated, about 30 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Drizzle over the coconut oil (opens in a new tab) and cook a further 2 minutes so the masala fries onto the fish.

    • 3 min
    • medium-low heat

About this dish

Origin
Southern Province (Galle, Matara), Sri Lanka · Well documentedMore food from Sri Lanka
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Curries
Cooking method
Simmered, Braised
Taste
sour, peppery, spicy (chilli heat)
Diet
Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · One-pot
Cook more with
Tuna · Cayenne / chilli powder · Turmeric · Garlic · Fresh ginger · Cinnamon
Techniques
Simmering · Braising

Allergens

  • Contains: Fishfrom tuna

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

253 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 213 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 60%
  • Carbohydrate 11%
  • Fat 28%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy253 kcal119 kcal
Protein37.4 g17.6 g
Carbohydrate7.1 g3.3 g
Net carbohydrate5.7 g2.7 g
Sugars1.8 g0.8 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1.3 g0.6 g
Fat7.7 g3.6 g
Saturated fat5.9 g2.8 g
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol59 mg27 mg
Sodium945 mg444 mg
Salt equivalent2.4 g1.1 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
763 mg
Calcium
39 mg
Iron
1.8 mg
Magnesium
64 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
37 µg
Vitamin C
3 mg
Vitamin D
2.6 µg
Vitamin B12
3.1 µg
Folate (DFE)
5 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: pandan leaves.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): curry leaves.
  • Goraka (Garcinia cambogia): Tamarind pulp used as a stand-in sour fruit; goraka is a dried, smoked fruit rind used in small amounts.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Shake the pot instead of stirring so the fish cubes stay whole.

Common mistakes

  • Stopping while there is still liquid — ambul thiyal should be almost dry, with the paste clinging to the fish.

Serve with

  • A small portion with rice, dal and coconut sambol goes a long way — it's intense.

Storage

  • Traditionally made to keep; refrigerated it lasts 4–5 days.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently in a covered pan, or serve at room temperature.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Tuna, cut into 4 cm cubes600 g
Used in step 2

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

You might also like