Peranakan spicy tamarind fish (asam pedas)

In Penang, asam pedas fish stew has a strong Chinese and Thai influence, giving it a tangy sweet and sour flavour.

Peranakan asam pedas (Spicy tamarind fish) Credit: Georgia Gold

• serves

  4

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 100 ml vegetable oil
• 3 lemongrass stalks, white part only, finely sliced
• 5 Vietnamese mint sprigs, leaves picked
• 1½ tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 torch ginger flower, halved (optional)
• 10 small okra
• 1 small–medium eggplant (aubergine), cut into 5 cm (2 in) chunks
• 1 tomato, cut into wedges
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tbsp sugar, or to taste
• 500 g mackerel fillets (or other fish of choice, such as pomfret, cod or barramundi) skin and bones removed, larger fillets halved
• 1 roasted candlenut (see Note), very finely grated with a microplane (optional)
• steamed rice, to serve

Chilli paste

• 1 tsp toasted belacan (shrimp paste, see Note)
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 6 dried chillies, soaked in water for 15 minutes
• 6 long red chillies
• 4 red shallots, roughly chopped
• 2½ tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

1. To make the chilli paste, place all the ingredients in a blender or food processer and blitz to a fine paste.
2. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the paste and sauté for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add the lemongrass, Vietnamese mint, tamarind paste, 800 ml water and torch ginger flower, if using, and bring to the boil. Add the okra, eggplant and tomato and simmer for another 5 minutes.
4. Season with salt and sugar to taste. Add the mackerel and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the grated candlenut, if using, and simmer for another 4–5 minutes to make sure the fish is cooked through. Serve with rice.

Notes

• Belacan – also known as fermented shrimp paste – is a staple in Peranakan and Malay cuisine.Belacan is made from krill (tiny shrimp-like crustaceans) that have been salted, dried and fermented, which yield its deep salty-umami taste. Raw belacan should be toasted in a dry frying pan before using for best results.

• Candlenuts are large round nuts that closely resemble macadamias in appearance and texture, candlenuts are a key ingredient in Malaysian cooking, where they are regularly used as a thickener and a flavour and texture enhancer in sauce-based dishes like curry, rendang and sambal. Candlenuts should never be eaten raw as they are mildly toxic, so cook them for at least 15 minutes at 120°C or above to help reduce their toxic effect and bitterness.

• Also known as bunga kantan, torch ginger flower is an indispensable ingredient in Malay and Peranakan cuisines. The large pinkish buds are commonly used to zest up curries and stews, but they can also be eaten raw as part of an aromatic garnish for salads, rice and soups.

Penang Local by Aim Aris and Ahmad Salim, published by Smith Street Books (RRP $39.99). Photography by Georgia Gold. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.