Fish Head Curry (Coconut Tamarind Curry)

Name: Fish Head Curry (Coconut Tamarind Curry)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Singaporean
Ingredients: fish head 800 g; curry paste 3 tbsp; coconut milk 300 ml; tomato 180 g; okra 120 g; eggplant 150 g; tamarind water 120 ml; cooking oil 2 tbsp

Quick answer

Total time: 60 min
Level: Hard
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

It began in 1940s Singapore, when M.J. Gomez, an immigrant from Kerala, put whole fish heads, which his Chinese customers loved, into a South Indian curry.

Okra, eggplant and tomato cook along with the head in coconut milk and tamarind, and collagen from the head gives the gravy a slight stickiness. The first bites go to the cheeks and the soft parts around the eyes, which have soaked up the most curry.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Rinse the 800g fish head under running water, removing blood and loose scale bits.

If the smell is strong, rub with a little lime juice, then pat very dry and season evenly with salt.
2

Cut the 180g tomato, 120g okra, and 150g eggplant into bite-sized pieces before heating the pot.

Keep the eggplant pieces a little larger so they soften without falling apart in the curry.
3

Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a pot over medium heat.

Add 3 tbsp curry paste and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the oil turns red and the paste smells roasted, not raw.
4

Pour in the 300ml coconut milk and 120ml tamarind water gradually, stirring to loosen the paste from the bottom.

Simmer over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until small bubbles appear around the edges.
5

Add the fish head and tomato, checking that the sauce comes about halfway up the fish.

Cover and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes, spooning sauce over the top once so the exposed flesh cooks evenly.
6

Add the okra and eggplant, then simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes more.

Turn off the heat when the fish is opaque and the eggplant yields easily, then serve hot with steamed rice.