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.