the ULTIMATE Asam Pedas - mouthwateringly sour & spicy!
this hot and sour classic Malay dish serves nostalgia and comfort and makes you want to go in for seconds!
ASAM PEDAS is undeniably the MOST quintessential homecooked dishes within the Malay world, especially in Singapore, most of the Malay Peninsula the Riau Archipelago & mainland Sumatra. it reflects the coastal geography of the region due to use of saltwater fish (except for the other variations of the dish which use beef or chicken).
as the name suggests, it showcases a flavour combination of ‘asam’ (sour) and ‘pedas’ (spicy).
in different households, asam pedas is prepared differently withe recipes varying from family to family & according to region and availability of ingredients. however, these TWO base ingredients are non-negotiable; CHILLI (dry or fresh or combination of both) & ‘ASAM’ or SOURING AGENTS (tamarind or types of dried garcinia).
the recipe below is one inspired by our recent visit to Restaurant Fiz, where we learned to cook Chef Haffizul Hashim’s version of the dish. while most home recipes tend to be simpler, Chef Haffizul’s takes it a step further through the additional preparation of a sour fish stock a.k.a. kuah pindang which forms the base for this ELEGANT and REFINED Asam Pedas.
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Asam Pedas Ikan (inspired by Restaurant Fiz) 🌶 🐟
600g-800g fish, whole or cut fish (red snapper/ barramundi/ grouper/threadfin)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
pindang stock:
500g fish bones + head (snapper/ barramundi/ grouper/threadfin)
2 red onions, halved
30g turmeric, halved
2 lemongrass, sliced coarsely
1 torch ginger flower, halved
2 pieces asam gelugor (dried garcinia)
2 litres water
rempah:
6 shallots, peeled
3 cloves garlic, peeled
20g ginger, peeled
15g galangal, peeled
2 stalks lemongrass
10-12 dried chillies, soaked in hot water
3 fresh chillies
3 candlenuts, soaked to soften
15g turmeric root, peeled
10 g belachan, lightly toasted
1 tablespoon dried shrimp, soaked until soft
2 tbsp tamarind pulp (asam jawa)
1 torch ginger flower, sliced thinly
few stalks laksa leaves, plucked
5 pcs ladies’ fingers (okra)
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp good quality fish sauce
salt, to taste
sugar, to taste
3 calamansi, juiced
directions:
making the ‘pindang’ stock base
preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius. lay the pindang stock ingredients onto a tray and roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until the bones nicely browned and vegetables slightly charred.
combine the roasted ingredients into a pot of 2 litre water with the asam gelugor. bring to a simmer and cook with the lid covered for 45-50 minutes, skimming off any scum which floats on top.
strain out all the solids through a colander and reserve the flavourful fish stock for the asam pedas.
cooking asam pedas
blend all the rempah ingredients together, using just enough dried chilli soaking water needed to turn it into a fine paste.
heat oil in a pot and fry the rempah paste on medium heat until the oil starts to split. this process could take up to 15-20 minutes.
add the pindang fish stock, fish sauce and tamarind pulp. simmer for another 7 minutes. if you prefer a more concentrated gravy, reduce the liquid further.
add the fish together with laksa leaves, tomatoes, okra and sliced torch ginger flower. cover pot with a lid, turn the heat to a simmer and cook for another 6-7 minutes, flipping the fillet halfway to cook them evenly.
season with salt and black pepper and just enough palm sugar to balance the acidity. the asam pedas should possess a nice balance of sour, spicy and umami and the consistency should resemble a slightly viscous stew.
stir in calamansi juice before serving.
serve alongside steamed rice.
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