Fish Head Curry Recipe – Singaporean Spicy Coconut Seafood

Fish Head Curry (Singapore)

For the Spice Paste:

• 2 shallots
• 3 red Thai chilis
• 1 inch knob ginger, peeled
• 1 inch knob galangal, peeled
• 5 cloves garlic
• 4 inch lemongrass stalk, outer layer removed and finely chopped
• 2 inch knob fresh turmeric
• ¼ cup (60ml) coconut oil

For the Fish Head Curry:

• Heads and fillets from 2 sea bass
• 2 Japanese eggplant, sliced
• 15 okra, sliced
• 8 long beans, cut into 3 inch pieces
• 1 ½ (360ml) cups coconut milk
• 1 cup (240ml) water
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 Roma tomatoes, quartered
• 1 tbsp (14.8ml) tamarind puree
• 15 curry leaves
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• Lime wedges for garnish
• 1 tsp (4.9ml) black mustard seeds
• ½ tsp (2.5ml) fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp (4.9ml) cumin seeds
• 1 tsp (4.9ml) coriander seeds
• 1 dried red chili
• ½ cup (120ml) granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup (80ml) coconut oil

Methods

Make the Spice Paste

• Add the shallots, red Thai chilis, ginger, galangal, garlic, lemongrass, turmeric, and coconut oil to a food processor and blend to make a paste.

Make the Fish Head Curry

• Heat the oil in a large pot or skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• Add the paste and tamarind puree to the pot and cook for 4 minutes more.
• Heat a medium pan over medium heat. Add the black mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and dried red chili and toast, swirling the pan to keep them from burning, until the spices smell fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the spices to a spice grinder or food processor and grind.
• Add the ground spices, sugar, and curry leaves to the pot and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes more.
• Add the tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down.
• Pour in the water and coconut milk and season with salt. Bring the pot to a boil and add the juice and zest of 1 lime.
• Add the fish heads, lower the heat so that the pot is at a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
• Then add the long beans, eggplant, okra, and cook for another 15 minutes.
• Add the fish fillets and allow them to cook through, about 2-3 minutes.
• Serve the soup garnished with lime wedges.

Serving Suggestions

Serve fish head curry family-style from communal pot with ladles and rice bowls for authentic hawker centre drama, perfect for Chinese New Year feasts, seafood boils, or dinner parties where glossy orange broth steals the show. Pair with Tiger beer, lime juice cordial, or teh tarik while curry leaves perfume entire room, creating addictive sweet-spicy-creamy cycle.

Create tasting progression: fish head broth first, then vegetable-laden spoon, finishing with tender fillet bites. Kids love silky eggplant, adults crave gelatinous cheeks—1.5-hour investment yields restaurant centerpiece that feeds 4 generously with leftovers for lunch.

Final Thoughts

This Fish Head Curry Recipe captures Singaporean street food genius—whole fish heads transformed by rempah engineering into coconut-spice masterpiece. Devan Rajkumar’s Global Street Eats version makes authentic hawker technique accessible while preserving proper spice toasting, fish head timing, vegetable sequencing that creates perfect texture symphony. The beauty lives in layers: fresh turmeric glow, tamarind balance, collagen richness impossible to replicate with fillets alone. Whether hosting family feasts or introducing friends to proper fish head glory, this curry converts everyone instantly—bowls empty, rice replenished, beer flowing.

Find more recipes from Global Street Eats here!

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