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

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
South East Asia
Street Food
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,