Singaporean Fish Curry Food

SINGAPOREAN FISH CURRY

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients for the marinade in a bowl.
• Check if all bones are removed from the fish fillets. If not, use a pair of tweezers.
• Cut the fish into 1x4 inches pieces (2.5x10cm) and marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or longer in the fridge.
• Heat a wok on high temperature, put in oil. Reduce heat to the lowest temperature and add chopped onion, garlic and mustard seeds. Cook on very low heat for 5 minutes or more, stirring frequently.
• Add fish fillets, marinade, tomatoes, chillies, and palm sugar (or brown sugar). Add a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes. Fish is cooked if it can easily be parted with a fork.
• Serve over basmati rice and sprinkle with the fresh coriander.

SPICY SINGAPOREAN FISH

Steps:

• Make a paste by blending together the chillies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, soy sauce and sugar in a blender or coffee grinder, or use a pestle and mortar. Heat the oil in a small frying pan and cook the paste for 2 mins until it has darkened slightly and you can really smell the spices. Season with a little salt if you like, then set aside.
• Heat the grill to medium. Put the fish onto a grill pan, then use the back of a teaspoon to smear the paste all over, making a thin layer covering the whole fish. Pop under the grill and cook for 10 mins until the fish flakes easily. Serve with rice and steamed bok choy. Sprinkle chives and coriander on the fish to serve, if you like.

SINGAPOREAN FISH HEAD CURRY

Steps:

• Wash the fish head or fish steaks and pat dry. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a wok or saucepan, add curry seeds mixture and ginger and stir fry over high heat for two to three minutes till the seeds pop.
• Cool slightly then pulse in a food processor to create the paste.
• In the same wok or sauce pan with the remaining oil, add garlic and stir fry till lightly browned.
• Add the curry paste and stir fry till fragrant and cooked.
• Add the onions and stir fry briefly for about one minute.
• Put in half of the coconut milk, bring to a boil, remember to keep stirring to avoid curdling.
• Add the fish, cook for 10 minutes before adding the remaining coconut milk and the tamarind juice.
• Add the tomatoes, red chilli, green chilli, curry leaves, salt and sugar.
• Simmer gently for about five to eight minutes or until the sauce is thickened to a desired consistency and the fish is cooked through.
• You may add more liquid if there is not enough gravy.
• Serve with steaming hot rice.

SINGAPORE-STYLE CURRY POWDER

Steps:

• Deseed and take off any stems from the chilies.
• Heat a frying pan and add all the seeds. Dry-fry over medium heat, stirring until the spices give off a rich aroma.
• Allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, break the stick into pieces and deseed the cardamom pods. Throw the pods away but keep the seeds.
• Grind all the seeds in a grinder.
• Stir in the turmeric and use immediately or store in an airtight jar away from light for no more than one month.

MALAYSIAN FISH CURRY (KARI IKAN)

Steps:

• Mix the chilli powder, paprika, coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric with about 1/3 cup water until smooth. Set aside.
• Using a food processor or stick blender, blend together the onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, shrimp paste into a smooth paste. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a wok or large saucepan over a moderate heat until hot.Add the curry leaves and let them splutter briefly before adding the curry paste. Cook this gently for about 4-5 minutes (be careful to not have the pan too hot as you'll burn the spices).
• Add the onion paste and stir well.Stir in the cinnamon and star anise. Cook this paste gently for another 5 minutes. You should have a nice separation of oil around the paste.
• Pour in the stock, tamarind, lime leaves, galangal and lemongrass stalks and bring to a simmer. Gently simmer the sauce for 10 minutes - a gentle bubble of a simmer.
• Pour in the coconut milk and stir well.Gently slide in the fish followed by the tofu. Let this cook for 4-5 minutes until the fish is cooked through.
• Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the beans and tomatoes. Serve hot!
• I like to serve mine with jasmine rice to help soak up the plentiful sauce, but you can also serve with Malaysian roti breads - you can find those in the frozen section of most Asian supermarkets.