Lunch in Padang - Land of the Minangkabau (Part 2 of 5)

Lunch in Pariaman was focused on fresh fish. No chicken and beef! Which shatters the stereotype on Padang food. The fishes were cooked with gulai, sambel or deep-fried. Beyond these there were different cuts like the much-loved fish head and roes. Mauro Paiman in Pariaman has the best Padang food specialising on fish. We have tried various places with average results.

At the heart of the Padang cuisine is the gulai, the sambel merah and hijau. Gulai has alot of santan (coconut milk) and spices like kunyit, shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, galanggal etc but light on chilies. Then there is the fiery red Sambel Merah and Sambel Hijau. It is used both as a condiment as well as added in while cooking the dishes.

Sambel Merah

Fantastic Fish Head Gulai. The santan dominated gulai ensured it is rich in taste. The many aromatic herbs and spices tickled the palate and left a memorable sweet after-taste of great Minangkabau food.

Another please Fish Head!The best fried fish I had for a long time. Sweet and tender meat! The surface was lightly seared with the hot oil and the marinate caramelised to give it a superior taste.
This fish roe was firm and reassuringly fresh as it was succulent and moist not like those in KL. I could feel the roes giving way with a slight crunch.And the fillet. Fresh to the last morsel.

Warung Mauro Paiman is near the wet market and Nan Tongga Hotel in Pariamanwhich is about 60km from Padang. It was thought to be the worst hit area in the 30th Sept 2009 earthquake.