Fish Head Curry (Singapore)
Fish Head Curry is a bold, aromatic dish featuring tender sea bass heads simmered in a rich, spicy, and tangy coconut curry with fresh vegetables. Layers of ginger, galangal, lemongrass, and tamarind create a complex, vibrant flavor profile, making this a signature Singaporean street food classic.
Ingredients:
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
Method:
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.