Assam Fish Curry

Original Recipe by Amy Beh

Tantalising dish: Try this Asam Fish Curry, made with ikan kembong.

1kg mackerel (ikan kembong)

250g ladies fingers

1 tomato, quartered

3 sprigs polygonum leaves (daun kesum)

4 tbsp tamarind paste (asam jawa) mixed with 500ml water

1 wild ginger bud, halve and smash stem

2 pieces dried tamarind skin

5 tbsp oil

Ground ingredients

12 shallots

8 fresh red chillies

4 slices galangal

1cm piece fresh turmeric

2cm square belacan, toasted

2 stalks lemon grass

Seasoning

¾-1 tsp salt or to taste

½-1 tsp sugar or to taste

Heat oil in a deep saucepan and sauté ground ingredients and wild ginger bud halves and polygonum leaves until aromatic and the oil rises.

Add asam jawa juice and bring to the boil. Add ladies fingers, dried tamarind skin and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Put in mackerel and cook for 10 minutes. Add tomato and adjust seasoning to taste. Dish out and serve with hot plain rice immediately.

Assam Fish Head Curry

Original Recipe by Amy Beh

1 garoupa fish head, cut into 4 pieces
5-6 ladies fingers
1 tomato, quartered
1 onion, cut into wedges
salt and sugar to taste
½ tsp ikan bilis stock granules

Spice ingredients (A)

8 shallots
3 cloves garlic
20g dried shrimp paste (belacan)
100g dried chillies, soaked
2 tbsp chilli powder
2 tbsp fish curry powder

Ingredients (B)

2 stalks lemon grass, smashed
1 wild ginger flower bud (bunga kantan), halved and smash stem
2 sprigs polygonum leaves (daun kesom)

Mix and strain

4 tbsp tamarind paste
250 ml water

Seasoning

1 tbsp light soy sauce
salt and sugar to taste

Arrange the fish pieces on a heatproof dish; steam for 10 minutes or until cooked. Pour out the excess liquid from the fish. Add seasoning and put aside.

Heat oil in a wok and sauté ground spice ingredients until fragrant. Add in lemon grass, wild ginger bud and polygonum leaves. Continue to sauté for a while, then pour in tamarind juice and bring to the boil.

Add ladies fingers, tomatoes, onion and adjust seasoning to taste.

Put cooked fish in a serving bowl and dish out cooked spice gravy over. Serve immediately.