Fish Head Curry

Name: Fish Head Curry
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: Serves 4-6
Cuisine: Singaporean
Ingredients: 2½ cm (1 in) fresh turmeric root, peeled and sliced, or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; 5 cm (2 in) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 cups (500 ml) thick coconut milk or 1 cup (250 ml) coconut cream mixed with 1 cup (250 ml) water; 10 small okra (about 150 g/5 oz total), stalks discarded; 2 stalks lemongrass, thick bottom third only, outer layers removed, inner part sliced; 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges; 2 heaped tablespoons tamarind pulp mashed with ½ cup (125 ml) warm water, squeezed and strained for juice; 1 large fresh fish head (red snapper, threadfin or sea bream), about 1-1¼ kg (2-2½ lbs), halved lengthwise and rinsed; 1 slender Asian eggplant (about 200 g/7 oz), cut into 6 pieces; 1 tablespoon sugar; 10 red finger-length chillies, deseeded and sliced; 20 shallots, peeled; 2 cups (500 ml) water; 5 tablespoons fish curry powder or plain curry powder; ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds; ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds; 1 sprig curry leaves, rinsed; 10 cloves garlic, peeled; 4 tablespoons oil

Preparation info

Serves
4-6

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
55 min

Appears in

The Food of Singapore

By Djoko Wibisono

Published 2015

About

A cook who came to Singapore from the southwestern Indian state of Kerala, where this dish is unheard of, created Fish Head Curry back in the 1950s. Its popularity spread quickly and now there are dozens of different versions of this dish.

Ingredients

1 large fresh fish head (red snapper, threadfin or sea bream), about 1-1¼ kg (2-2½ lbs

Asia
Singapore
Fish course
Pescatarian
Street Food
South East Asia
Gluten-free

Method

To prepare the Curry Sauce, grind the lemongrass, turmeric, ginger, chillies, shallots and garlic in a mortar or blender until fine, adding a little oil if necessary to keep the blades turning.
Heat the oil in a wok over medium high heat and stir-fry the mustard seeds until they pop, about 1 minute. Add the ground ingredients, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves,