Assam Pedas Fish (Sour and Spicy Fish)

Assam Pedas Fish, or literally "Sour Spicy" Fish is a classic Malaysian dish. Ask any home cooks in Malaysia--Malay, Chinese, or Indian--and you are bound to get a number of different recipes for Assam Pedas. Everyone has their own interpretation for this favorite dish and there are endless adaptations; suffice it to say, it's sour, fiery hot, and tastes extraordinarily satisfying.

It is an extremely easy dish to prepare and can be ready in an hour.  I love having this dish with rice.  In fact the gravy taste even better the next day



Assam Pedas Fish (Sour and Spicy Fish)
Recipe Adapted from Rasa Malaysia

Ingredients:

1 spanish mackarel, pomfret or any firm white fleshed fish (1/2 pound to 1 pound)
8 small okras (ladies fingers)
1 medium tomato (cut into wedges)
1 teaspoon of fish curry powder
1/4 teaspoon tumeric powder
2 sprigs of daun kesum (or you can use Vietnamese coriander)
4 tablespoons of cooking oil
1 tablespoon of white sugar (you may need more depending on taste)
Salt to taste

Spice Paste:

3 clove garlic
1 stalk of lemon grass (white part only)
4 shallots
1/2" fresh ginger, sliced
2 fresh red chillies, de-seeded
6 dried chillies (more if you like it spicy)
1/2 tablespoon of belacan (prawn paste)

For the Tamarind Juice:

1 1/4 cup of water
Tamarind pulp (size of a small lime)

Method:

1) Pound the spice paste with mortar and pestle or grind them in a food processor. Set aside.

2) Soak the tamarind pulp in warm water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind pulp constantly to extract the flavor intto the water. Drain the pulp and save the tamarind juice.

3) Heat oil and fry the spice paste for 2 minutes or until fragrant.

4) Add the tamarind juice, fish curry powder/turmeric powder and bring to boil.

5) Add the tomato wedges and okras and bring to boil.

6) Add the fish, salt, and palm sugar/sugar.

7) Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked. Serve hot with white rice.