Singaporean Fish Head Curry Recipes

FISH HEAD CURRY

Steps:

• Place cut shallots, onion, garlic, ginger, and turmeric in a food processor, add 2 tbsps of oil to grease the blades, and blend until you get a fairly smooth paste. Add curry powder and chilli paste (add between 3 to 5 tbsps, depending on how spicy you like it) and pulse until well combined.
• Heat up 6 tbsps oil in a wok over low-medium fire. When hot, add the spice paste and stir fry, stirring continuously around in the wok to avoid burning the paste. If the paste gets a little dry, drizzle in 2 - 3 tbsps of oil. Stir in salt and sugar. Allow the spice paste to cook through gently, becoming fragrant and aromatic - this may take 10 minutes or longer.
• Once the oil starts to float to the top, and bubbles around the edges of the paste, stir in lemon grass and curry leaves. Stir fry for a minute or until fragrant.
• Stir in thin coconut milk and tamarind juice. Increase heat to medium-high, and allow mixture to come to a gentle simmer. Add egg plant, and simmer for a few minutes. When egg plant start to soften, stir in the lady fingers, and tomatoes. Then add the fish head halves, cheek side facing up. Add a little extra water, if sauce becomes too thick, or is not enough to coat the fish head to cook it.
• Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until fish head is cooked through. Do a taste test: if your prefer your curry more rich-tasting or creamy, add thick coconut milk to desired level of creamy richness. Add salt and sugar to taste (more salt if not salty enough, more sugar if too sourish or too salty). A good fish head curry should taste rich or lemak, slightly salty as well as sourish (tangy), and have the consistency of a thick soup.

SINGAPOREAN FISH CURRY

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients for the marinade in a bowl.
• Check if all bones are removed from the fish fillets. If not, use a pair of tweezers.
• Cut the fish into 1x4 inches pieces (2.5x10cm) and marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or longer in the fridge.
• Heat a wok on high temperature, put in oil. Reduce heat to the lowest temperature and add chopped onion, garlic and mustard seeds. Cook on very low heat for 5 minutes or more, stirring frequently.
• Add fish fillets, marinade, tomatoes, chillies, and palm sugar (or brown sugar). Add a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes. Fish is cooked if it can easily be parted with a fork.
• Serve over basmati rice and sprinkle with the fresh coriander.

SINGAPOREAN FISH HEAD CURRY

Steps:

• Wash the fish head or fish steaks and pat dry. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a wok or saucepan, add curry seeds mixture and ginger and stir fry over high heat for two to three minutes till the seeds pop.
• Cool slightly then pulse in a food processor to create the paste.
• In the same wok or sauce pan with the remaining oil, add garlic and stir fry till lightly browned.
• Add the curry paste and stir fry till fragrant and cooked.
• Add the onions and stir fry briefly for about one minute.
• Put in half of the coconut milk, bring to a boil, remember to keep stirring to avoid curdling.
• Add the fish, cook for 10 minutes before adding the remaining coconut milk and the tamarind juice.
• Add the tomatoes, red chilli, green chilli, curry leaves, salt and sugar.
• Simmer gently for about five to eight minutes or until the sauce is thickened to a desired consistency and the fish is cooked through.
• You may add more liquid if there is not enough gravy.
• Serve with steaming hot rice.