All recipes › Fish head curry

How to cook Fish head curry

Fish head curry is a Singapore favourite in which a large red snapper head simmers in a tangy, coconut-enriched curry with okra, brinjal and tomatoes. This home version builds the gravy from a fresh spice paste and tamarind, and is best served with steamed rice or crusty bread.

Ingredients

For the fish

• 1 (about 700-800 g) red snapper head (ask the fishmonger to scale, gill and halve it)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

For the spice paste

• 8 dried red chillies, snipped and soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
• 6 shallots, peeled
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 cm piece ginger, peeled
• 2 cm piece fresh turmeric, peeled (or 1/2 tsp ground turmeric)
• 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, sliced
• 60 ml water, for blending

For the curry

• 4 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tbsp fish curry powder (meat curry powder also works)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2 sprigs (about 20 leaves) curry leaves
• 3 tbsp tamarind paste (asam), mixed with 250 ml warm water and strained
• 400 ml water
• 200 ml coconut milk
• 2 tsp sugar, or to taste
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

For the vegetables

• 8 pods (about 120 g) okra (lady's fingers), tops trimmed
• 2 (about 250 g) long purple brinjal (eggplant), cut into 5 cm lengths
• 2 firm tomatoes, quartered
• 2 green chillies, slit lengthwise

To serve

• to serve steamed rice, or sliced baguette
• 1 small handful coriander leaves, roughly torn

Steps

1. Prep the fish head10 min
   Rinse the fish head under cold running water, rubbing off any remaining scales or blood near the gill area. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Rub with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp ground turmeric and set aside in the fridge while you prepare everything else.
2. Blend the spice paste5 min
   Drain the soaked chillies. Add them to a blender with the shallots, garlic, ginger, fresh turmeric, lemongrass and 60 ml water. Blend until completely smooth with no visible fibres, scraping down the sides once or twice.
3. Prepare the tamarind water3 min
   Mix the tamarind paste with 250 ml warm water, squeezing it with your fingers to dissolve. Strain through a sieve into a bowl, pressing out the liquid, and discard the solids.
4. Fry the whole spices2 min
   Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and fry for about 30 seconds, until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Add the curry leaves and fry for 20 seconds until fragrant and slightly crisp.
5. Cook the spice paste12 min
   Pour in the blended paste. Fry over medium-low heat, stirring often, for 10 to 12 minutes, until the paste darkens, smells cooked rather than raw, and the oil separates and pools at the edges. Lower the heat if it catches on the base.
6. Add the ground spices1 min
   Stir in the curry powder, cumin and coriander. Fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until aromatic. If the mixture looks dry, splash in 2 tbsp water to stop it scorching.
7. Build the gravy12 min
   Pour in the strained tamarind water and 400 ml water. Add the sugar and salt. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes to let the flavours meld.
8. Add the brinjal5 min
   Add the brinjal pieces to the gravy and simmer for 5 minutes, until the skin starts to soften. Push them down so they are partly submerged.
9. Simmer the fish head10 min
   Lay the fish head in the pot and spoon gravy over it. Cover and simmer gently over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, then carefully turn it over using two spoons. Do not stir vigorously, as the head can break apart.
10. Add okra, tomatoes and chillies5 min
    Add the okra, tomatoes and slit green chillies. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, until the okra is tender but still holds its shape and the brinjal is soft when pierced with a fork.
11. Finish with coconut milk3 min
    Pour in the coconut milk and stir gently around the fish. Warm through over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes without letting it boil hard, which can cause the gravy to split. Taste and adjust with more salt, sugar or a splash of tamarind water for tang.
12. Check doneness and serve
    The fish is done when the flesh at the thickest part near the cheek turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Scatter coriander leaves over the top and serve hot in the pot or a deep bowl, with steamed rice or sliced baguette to mop up the gravy.

Tips

• Ask the fishmonger to halve the head and remove the gills, which can make the curry bitter and muddy.
• Take your time frying the spice paste until the oil separates; this is what gives the gravy depth and a glossy, deep red colour.
• Adjust tang and sweetness at the end: more tamarind water for sourness, a pinch more sugar to round out the chilli heat.
• Use a wide pot so the fish head sits mostly submerged and cooks evenly without needing to be broken up.
• Choose a mix of firm, in-season vegetables; the okra and brinjal soak up the gravy beautifully, but tomatoes add the fresh acidity.

Food safety and allergens

Cook the fish head until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily, and keep the curry at a gentle simmer rather than a bare warm. Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 days, and reheat until steaming hot throughout.

Contains: fish

Watch it being made

• Assam Pedas Fish Head Curry Recipe / Nyonya Food - 阿叁鱼头The Meatmen Channel · 418,212 views · YouTube
• FISH HEAD CURRY (Easy Recipe) | HOW TO MAKE FISH CURRYHannah’s Quick & Easy Recipes Ideas · 244,229 views · YouTube
• SECRETS TO Fish Head Curry (Mamak) | Kari Kepala Ikan (Mamak) [Nyonya Cooking]Nyonya Cooking · 240,914 views · YouTube

Videos are made by their YouTube creators and open on YouTube. asklor! is not affiliated with them or with YouTube.

Ask asklor!

• Where to eat famous fish head curry

More recipes: Hainanese chicken rice · Laksa · Char kway teow · Bak chor mee · Nasi lemak · Satay · Chilli crab · Black pepper crab · all recipes