Fish Head Curry - always better shared with loved ones
tangy, spicy, rich, delicious!
ERRRR CHILLI CRAB WHO?!
if we were to rank dishes which would best represent Singapore to the world, we think that the no. 1 top candidate would be Fish Head Curry. while chilli crab has been iconic in representing Singaporean cuisine, it is usually rather costly for many of us and is therefore consumed on very special occasions. now, unlike the chilli crab, the fish head curry sold in hawkers and restaurants carry a lower price tag & is enjoyed by Singaporeans of different backgrounds.
additionally, this dish involves techniques and ingredients from the different food cultures from the diverse ethnic groups. we developed a great recipe for this so you can try making some for your family at home!
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Singapore Fish Head Curry
2 large fish heads (red snapper or ang ko li), cleaned well
to blend:
8-10 shallots, peeled
4 cloves garlic, peeled
5 red chillies, sliced
40g ginger, peeled
1/2 cup oil
3 tbsp fish curry powder
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp chilli powder
600ml water
1 ikan bilis stock cube
2 tbsp tamarind pulp
400ml coconut milk
Salt, to taste
4 green chillies, sliced
5 ladies’ fingers (okra), cut each into 3
200g pineapple, cubed (optional)
10 snow peas
1 Chinese eggplant, diced & pre-fried
2 tomatoes, quartered
200g fried tau kee
tempering spices:
1/4 cup oil
3 sprigs curry leaves
1 tbsp mustard seeds
2 tsp fenugreek seeds
4 dried chillies, broken into halves
directions
blend the chillies, garlic, shallots and ginger into a paste. heat oil on medium heat in a pan or wok and sauté the paste until the oil starts to separate. stir in the powdered spices and temper for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
add in the water, stock cube, coconut milk and salt. stir well, cover. & let the curry simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
place the fish head into the curry followed by the chillies, ladies’ fingers, pineapple and snow peas. cover and let the fish head cook throughly. then, throw in the eggplant, tomatoes and tau see and simmer for another 3 minutes.
in a saucepan, heat 1/4 cup oil on medium heat. place the tempering spices in and swirl the pan to evenly spread the heat. the spices will start to splutter. once the spluttering stops, pour the whole mixture (including the oil) onto the fish curry and gently stir. season the curry with salt, to taste.
serve with rice or prata on the side, with fried pappadums!
looking for more curry options? check out the following:
