Ikan Sabuko-style Tamarind Fish

Timor-Leste is a country most of us could not place on a map before this project, and its food is almost unknown outside the region, which is exactly why I want it at our table. The dish is weeknight-friendly in every way: a 20-minute marinade, 10 minutes under the broiler, rice on the side. The thing I expect to learn is how tamarind works as a marinade base rather than a sauce ingredient; it is tart, slightly sweet and sticky, and should caramelize at the edges under high heat. The chile is easy to control, so I will make the marinade mild and pass sliced chile and lime at the table. It is also a fish night that is not salmon with lemon, which our rotation needs.

• Tamarind: Buy a block of seedless tamarind pulp or a jar of tamarind concentrate (the Asian aisle, H Mart, or an Indian grocer). Block pulp has the fullest flavor: soak 2 tablespoons in 1/4 cup hot water for 10 minutes and push through a sieve. If using concentrate, start with 1 1/2 tablespoons and taste; brands vary in strength.
• Fish: Mackerel is traditional and good if your fishmonger has it. Among easier US supermarket fish, skin-on salmon, mahi-mahi, or swordfish steaks all hold up to the broiler and the sour marinade; avoid thin flaky fillets like tilapia, which fall apart.
• Fresh basil: Thai basil if you can get it, Italian basil otherwise. It goes into the marinade and more is torn over at the end.
• Shallot and garlic: Pounded or very finely minced into the paste. A small food processor saves time.

1. Start the rice: rinse 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice and cook with 1 3/4 cups water and a pinch of salt according to the package.
2. If using block tamarind, soak 2 tablespoons in 1/4 cup hot water for 10 minutes, mash with a fork, and press through a sieve; discard the fibers.
3. Mince the shallots and garlic very finely (or pulse in a small processor). Stir together with the tamarind, 1 tablespoon oil, the juice of 1 lime, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and a handful of torn basil leaves. Add minced chile only if everyone wants heat; otherwise reserve it, sliced, for the table.
4. Pat the fish dry, score the skin side lightly if using whole mackerel, and coat with the marinade. Let it sit 20 minutes at room temperature (longer than 30 and the acid starts to firm the flesh).
5. Make the relish: dice the tomatoes and cucumber, chop a small handful of mint, and toss with the juice of 1 lime and a pinch of salt. Cut the last lime into wedges.

1. Set an oven rack 5–6 inches below the broiler and heat the broiler to high for 5 minutes. Line a sheet pan with foil and brush it lightly with oil.
2. Lay the fish skin-side down on the pan, scraping any extra marinade over the top.
3. Broil 7–10 minutes depending on thickness, until the marinade is bubbling and browned at the edges and the fish flakes at its thickest point (about 130°F for salmon, 140°F for mahi-mahi or swordfish). Do not turn it. If the top darkens before the center is done, move the pan to a lower rack for the last minutes.
4. Rest 2 minutes, then tear more basil over the top.
5. If you have a grill and a nice evening, this is the better way: grill skin-side down over medium-high heat with the lid closed, 8–10 minutes, for the smoky edge the dish is meant to have.

Spoon rice onto plates, lay a piece of fish beside it and add a generous scoop of the tomato-mint relish. Lime wedges, sliced chile and extra basil go in the middle of the table. My son's piece comes from the chile-free marinade with the relish on the side, since mint and tomato together may need an introduction; the fish itself is sweet-sour and easy. Leftover fish is good cold the next day flaked into rice with lime, and the relish keeps a day.