Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Malaysian Fish Head Curry

Malaysian Fish Head Curry, aka Kari Kepala Ikan. Believe me, not the ordinary nor you should compare with those from the restaurants. Why are you asking me? Because this is a typical, authentic and most dangerously delicious, finger licking homemade Malaysian Fish Head Curry (Malaysian Fish Sambal, Nyonya Fish Noodle SoupMalaysian Fried Mee Hoon & Malaysian Fish Curry) Yes, stop questioning me. Fish head curry cooked alongside belimbing buluh from our Malaysian grown trees, and belimbin buluh somewhat I think can be regarded as the other side to the coin to starfruit though these are oblong in shape and greenish and yellowish in color. Trust me please, due to this really mostly sour fruit, you don't have to think twice on tamarind juice and when fish head is cooked alongside the customary ingredients (Chilli Soy Fish, Spicy Stingray & Fish Noodle Soup) we need for any curry and also coconut milk, pow-wow (Asam Pedas Bawal, Salted Fish Bone Curry & Ikan Masak Kicap). Malaysian Fish Head Curry by Nava K? Unbeatable for rushing your mouth towards its spiciness and coconut milk creaminess.


Ingredients
1 tenggiri/mackerel fish head (about 700g) - clean and chop into large pieces
10 belimbing buluh
1 tsp turmeric/kunyit powder
1 tbsp ginger paste
1/2 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp onion paste
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek/halba seeds
2-3 sprigs curry leaves (shredded/sliced)
1/2 cup coconut milk (optional)
4 tbsp oil
Salt to taste 
For the curry paste (mix with some water for a thick paste)
1 tbsp plain chilli powder
1 tsp white pepper powder
1/2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp fennel powder

Method
Rub fish with turmeric powder. 
Keep aside. 
Heat oil and saute ginger, garlic and onion paste.
Splatter in mustard and fenugreek seeds.
Add curry paste and fry till oil splits
Pour 1/2 litre of water; stir and gently drop in fish. 
Simmer till fish is cooked.
Season with salt and add belimbing and curry leaves.
Gently stir.
Simmer for another 2-3 mins. 
Lastly pour in coconut milk.
Stir and remove from heat.  

16 comments:

  1. I love fish head curries! And the addition of the sour fruit must have made it even more delicious. Although we get star fruits here, I have not seen belimbung here. Your curry looks delicious!

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  2. It's great joy to find something related to the childhood memory!! Good to know you found this fruit tree at your friend's place and your friend is nice to share it with you..

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  3. OH,,, I can't wait to be home next month, is only in South East Asian country to have the best fish head curry, pass the rice for me please ;)

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  4. The recipe is inviting nava.super

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  5. Simply superb Nava, the belimbing is new to me and nice info. May be I can replace it with something sour, this fish head is killing me...

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  6. Remember one of our close friends mom used to make it .. It is so delicious .. Yours look lovely too

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  7. This is one of my favourite dish!! So Shiok!

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  8. oh my mom used to make this curry every other Sunday in winter, used to love it, missed that crunch when you bite the head and those days.

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  9. hah!hah! the belimbing buluh ended up as Leatherbacks bamboo in google translate.

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  10. belimbing the name is very new to me ,i have seen the fruit somewhere.its of sour taste hmm very intresting ...may be i need to try some veggie version with this .lovely colors nava

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  11. argh...second time typing this...last night comment didnt go through..

    I like this belimbing buluh too but never tried eating it raw.

    Your kari makes me drool. can imagine the spicy and sour taste.

    saw two belimbing buluh tree at the field in USJ. Not sure where about coz that time we were lost. LOL...I didnt know till then that the fruit grow right out from the bark of the tree. Thought it's like longan or rambutan. but it's not

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  12. Nice clicks and recipe Navs :)
    www.homesweethome.in

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  13. We make fish with this fruit we call it chemmeen puli. Chemmeen means shrimp and puli means tamarind or tang.It is so interesting to find similar recipe.

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  14. Simply GORGEOUS Nava! What a lovely colour! I miss eating fish head...used to be a favourite back home at my parents. Good to know about this fruit too...never heard of it before. The flavours just make my mouth water.

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  15. Wow, a fish head curry... looks exciting... Star fruit ummm, my mouth is already drooling...:)

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