Asam Pedas with Chef Fitri
each to their own, and so this is a healthier take on the dish!
food is a necessity for survival, but more than that, we often subconsciously tie the flavours we love to a specific place, a cherished memory, or a loved one. a single bite can evoke some kind of feeling, ranging from fond nostalgia to bittersweet tears.
in this episode of What Are You Cooking Today, we met Fitri—a chef and home-based business owner. while he taught us this recipe, he shared his fond memory of Asam Pedas, a signature dish his late mother used to cook for the family.
however, life took an unexpected turn 3 years ago with Fitri’s diagnosis of kidney failure, which required him to make significant changes to his lifestyle and diet. this meant finding creative alternatives for the hearty, comfort dishes he once loved. this time round, he’s showing us how to recreate those nostalgic flavours with a dialysis-friendly Asam Pedas recipe provided by The National Kidney Foundation (NKF).
while his story touches on some heavy and sombre moments, Fitri maintains an incredibly positive outlook on life. adjusting to dialysis was a hurdle at first, but today, it is fully integrated into his routine. he’s still able to chase his passions eg: playing sports, working as a professional chef and even participating in competitions!
watch the full video below to hear more about Fitri’s journey:
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important note: the recipe below is designed to be dialysis-friendly, with a limited selection of vegetables and served with white rice, as dialysis patients need to moderate their potassium and phosphorus intake, which can be higher in certain vegetables and wholegrains. for those who are not on dialysis but would still like to enjoy this dish, you may incorporate more vegetables and/or pair the dish with brown rice. find out more here: NKF
Asam Pedas
(serves 3-4)
400g fish fillet
8 pcs prawns
3 tbsp lime juice
1 stalk lemongrass (only white parts, chopped)
1/2 medium-sized tomato, diced
1 tbsp tamarind paste (mixed with 100ml of water)
1 lime leaf
100g water
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp canola oil
spice paste
4 pcs red chillies
9 pcs candlenut
1 tsp turmeric powder
13g galangal
1 tsp coriander powder
1 medium-sized onion
2 cloves garlic
2 pcs shallot
2 tbsp canola oil
directions
toast the candlenut in a pan
put all spice paste’s ingredients in a blender and grind them into a paste. Set aside
soak tamarind paste in 100ml water. then, squeeze the tamarind pulp to extract flavour into the water. Drain the pulp and set tamarind juice aside
heat up 1 tablespoon of canola oil and sauté the spice paste until fragrant
add lemongrass, tomato, lime leaf, water and lime juice
add in fish, prawns, tamarind juice, salt and sugar. Mix well. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, or until the fish and prawn are well cooked
serve with white rice
if you are looking for more inspirations, check these link below:
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