To reconstitute the dried fish, place it in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Stand until the water is cool, then drain, rinse and pat dry. Meanwhile, for the sambal, grind all the ingredients except the palm oil in a mortar and pestle until a coarse paste forms. Heat the palm oil in a wok over medium heat, and cook the sambal for about 10 minutes or until thick and pulpy. Remove from the heat and cool. Makes about ½ cup.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan or wok to 190°C. Deep-fry the fish, in batches if necessary, until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towel. Serve with steamed rice, sambal, lime wedges and chopped chilli.
Note: To make tamarind water, place 50g tamarind paste in a heatproof bowl and pour over 150ml boiling water. Allow to cool, then combine well. Strain the mixture through a fine strainer, extracting as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.