Curry Fish Head

Method14 steps · about 50 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Check the cleaned, scaled fish head for any remaining scales and remove them. Pat dry, rub with the separate ¼ tsp fish-rub salt and keep refrigerated at 4°C (40°F) or below until cooking.

   Uses 700–800 g emperor red snapper head, scaled and cleaned · ¼ tsp salt, to rub over the fish head

2. 2

   Step 2: Peel the 8–10 shallots, large red onion (1), 5 garlic cloves, thumb-sized turmeric (1) piece and half-thumb-sized ginger (½) piece. Cut the onion, turmeric and ginger into small chunks.

   Uses 8–10 shallots, to peel · 1 large red onion, to peel and cut into chunks · 5 cloves garlic, to peel · 1 thumb-sized piece fresh turmeric, to peel and cut into chunks · ½ thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, to peel and cut into chunks

3. 3

   Step 3: Blend all the prepared shallots, onion, garlic, turmeric and ginger into a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl.

   Uses Only the peeled prepared aromatics, excluding discarded skins

4. 4

   Step 4: In a separate bowl, mix the 2 tbsp coriander powder, 2 tbsp red chilli powder, 2 tbsp fish curry powder and 1 tbsp cumin powder with the separate 50 ml spice-paste water until smooth.

   Uses 2 tbsp coriander powder · 2 tbsp red chilli powder · 2 tbsp fish curry powder, a spice blend for fish curry · 1 tbsp cumin powder · 50 ml water, to mix the ground spices

5. 5

   Step 5: Combine the blended aromatic paste and the ground-spice paste until evenly mixed. Set aside.

   Uses Smooth blended aromatic paste · Ground-spice paste with its 50 ml water

6. 6

   Step 6: Wash the eggplant (1), tomatoes (3) and whole okra (10–12). Remove the eggplant stalk, quarter the eggplant lengthways and cut into roughly 5 cm lengths. Cut the tomatoes into wedges. Leave the okra whole so it does not make the curry slimy.

   Uses 1 large eggplant, to quarter and cut into 5 cm lengths · 3 tomatoes, to cut into wedges · 10–12 okra, kept whole · Clean water, as needed to wash the vegetables and curry leaves

7. 7

   Step 7: Rinse the three curry-leaf stalks. Strip off the leaves into a bowl and discard the stalks.

   Uses 3 stalks curry leaves, to strip the leaves from the stalks · Clean water, as needed to wash the vegetables and curry leaves

8. 8

   Step 8: Mix the 1 tbsp tamarind pulp with its separate 100 ml extraction water. Rub the pulp with clean fingers until the seeds come clean, then strain the juice into a bowl. Discard the seeds and retain the strained juice for the curry.

   Uses 1 tbsp tamarind pulp · 100 ml water, to extract the tamarind juice

9. 9

   Step 9: Heat the 8 tbsp oil in a wok over medium heat. Add all the combined curry paste and fry for about 10–15 minutes, checking at 10 minutes, until fragrant and the oil separates. Stir constantly to prevent sticking or burning. If the paste becomes too dry, lower the heat and stir in a little of the prepared tamarind juice, retaining the rest.

   Fry curry paste · 10 minUses 8 tbsp oil, for frying the curry paste · Combined aromatic and ground-spice paste · A little strained tamarind juice, only if the frying paste dries out

10. 10

    Step 10: Add the separate 1.2 l broth water, stripped curry leaves, 1½–2 tsp gravy salt, 1 tbsp sugar and all the strained tamarind juice still remaining. Turn the heat up and bring the curry gravy to a boil.

    Uses Fried curry paste with its frying oil and any early tamarind addition · 1.2 l water, for the curry broth · Only the stripped curry leaves, excluding stalks and rinse water · 1½–2 tsp salt, for the gravy · 1 tbsp sugar · All strained tamarind juice remaining after any optional early draw

11. 11

    Step 11: Once the gravy boils, add the prepared eggplant and simmer for about 5 minutes, until it starts to soften. Then add the prepared whole okra and tomato wedges.

    Soften eggplant before adding okra and tomatoes · 5 minUses Boiling seasoned curry gravy · Only the prepared eggplant pieces from the washed vegetable batch · Only the whole okra and tomato wedges from the washed vegetable batch

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Place the seasoned fish head in the curry with its cheeks facing upwards. Simmer gently for about 10–15 minutes, checking at 10 minutes, and continue directly to the coconut-cream stage. Handle the fish carefully so the flesh stays intact.

    Simmer fish head in curry · 10 minUses Curry gravy with the eggplant, whole okra and tomatoes · Cold seasoned fish head with its quarter-teaspoon salt rub

    
13. 13

    Step 13: Stir in the 200 ml coconut cream and simmer gently for another 5 minutes; do not boil vigorously. Before turning off the heat, check that the fish flesh reaches 63°C (145°F), or is opaque and separates easily with a fork, and that the vegetables are tender. Continue gentle cooking if needed. Taste and add a little additional water or salt only if desired. Turn off the heat and let the fish sit briefly in the gravy.

    Finish curry with coconut cream · 5 minUses Fish head and vegetables in their simmered curry gravy · 200 ml coconut cream (santan) · Additional water, only as desired to dilute the finished curry gravy · Additional salt, only if needed after tasting the finished curry

    
14. 14

    Step 14: Carefully transfer the finished curry and fish head to a serving bowl. Serve hot with ready hot steamed rice.

    Uses Finished fish-head curry with its vegetables and gravy · Ready hot steamed rice, as desired to serve with the curry