In Sri Lanka, tin fish generally refers to canned horse mackarel/shortfin scad (linna in Sinhalese), and you'll get a big can for about $1.60 in the village where we live. It's pretty economical, in other words, and here in the mountains, it's also a life saver for the days where you can't be bothered to be up early to get good fresh fish.
Tin fish can be made into anything from tin fish curry and fish buns to croquettes, or my absolute favorite, devilled tin fish.
As the name suggests, this is some really hot stuff, but you can easily adjust spice levels by the amount and sort of chili flakes and fresh green chili you use. But Sri Lankans all over the country tend to agree that the hotter, the better – and so do I.
I've can't link in the post, but I'll post a comment with the reel (not mine) with the recipe I used today. The small leaves are karapincha/curry leaves, and the longer ones are rampe/pandan. Both give an amazing taste, but they can easily be skipped, although they are worth looking for frozen in most Asian grocery stores.
But the main characters in this recipe are chili flakes, green chili, garlic, onion, banana pepper and tomato. And the fish of course.
We ate ours as a very simple dinner with another of the staples of this island, coconut roti, but it's equally tasty over rice or with toast. Just any sort of white carb to dampen the heat and mop up the juices.
by idiotista
14 Comments
This looks really unique and something I dont think I could replicate in the states easily which makes me wanna try it more 🤤
[Reel here.](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-zIQ0AhSd4/?l=1&hl=en)
I don’t use the lime zest myself though, the lemon grass and the lime juice gives it plenty of zing.
Is that a roti? I’ve been making a keto version weekly, it’s so good.
Visited your beautiful country in early 2020- loved the food! (And the people and the temples and the hikes and the mountains and the tea and the beaches and the safaris)
I’m going to totally try and make this – Sri Lankan is a new cuisine for me.
Do you have any other SL fish recipes?
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Wait, that can contains either/both shortfin scad (Decapterus macrosoma) and Pacific jack mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus)? Never heard of such a mixed product.
That looks delicious!
Hell yes I love it
Is that a disposable plate in the shape of a banana leaf?
This looks DELICIOUS. I’m very excited to try this. I’m Southeast Asian and I’m familiar with all of these ingredients 😍
You’re broadening my horizons, I have never considered using Pandan leaf in something like this. I’ll let you know how it turns out! Thanks so much for sharing
This looks great. Definitely want to try making it in the future.
Thank you for sharing.
It looks amazing! Could any white, fatty fish with here you think?
Btw curious how a swede ends up on the other side of the world. But then again, as a Norwegian not living in Norway, I guess its kinda in our ancestry to go out and ‘explore’ 🤭 Ha en fin helg og håper maten smakte!
Sri Lankan food is like Indian food with flavour turned up to 11