Recipe Ingredient
- 1 big fish head (preferably ikan kurau or threadfin), approximately 1kg-1.5kg
- 2 tsp salt
- (A) Spices:
- 3/4 tsp mustard seeds (biji sawi)
- 3cm cinnamon stick
- 1¼ tsp halba campur
- 4 cardamoms, split and use the seeds only
- 2 stalks curry leaves
- (B) Ground ingredients:
- 15 shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 stalks lemon grass
- 1 tsp belacan stock granules
- 1½ tbsp chilli paste
- 3 tbsp fish curry powder
- 2cm ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 2½ tbsp tamarind (asam jawa), mixed with 1/2 cup water and squeezed for juice
- 4-5 tbsp oil
- 1 cup thick coconut milk
- 2 cups thin coconut milk
- 2 onions, quartered
- 2 tomatoes, quartered
- 2 eggplants, quartered
- 6-7 lady's fingers
- Seasoning:
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tsp chicken stock granules
Instructions
- Season fish head with salt and set aside; just before cooking rinse off the salt.
- Heat oil in an earthen pot and fry mustard seeds until they start to pop. Add the rest of ingredients (A) and fry until fragrant.
- Add ground ingredients (B) and stir-fry well until aromatic; add a little tamarind juice to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the pot.
- Stir in the rest of the tamarind juice followed by thin coconut milk. When it begins to boil, add the eggplants and bring to a simmer for four to five minutes.
- Put in the fish head, onions, tomatoes and lady´s fingers.
- When the fish head is almost cooked, pour in the thick coconut milk and add seasoning to taste.
- Bring to a boil and immediately turn off heat.
- Dish out and serve with hot rice.
- All ingredients for the recipes are courtesy of Tops Supermarket.