Assam pedas fish

It was definitely a cooking week for me last week. Due to the colder weather now, I wanted to eat more hot and spicy food. Preferably soupy as well! Comfort food heh!

Rasa Malaysia made this assam pedas fish recipe so simple that I had to try it out!

Ingredients:
1 pomfret (1/2 pound to 1 pound)  (I used salmon)
10 small okras
1 tomato (cut into wedges)
1 tsp of fish curry powder
2 sprigs of daun kesum (Viatnamese mint)  (Omitted)
5 tbsp of cooking oil
1 tsbp of sugar
Salt to taste

Spice to taste: 
1 clove garlic
1 stalk of lemon grass (white part only)
4 shallots
8-10 dried chillies (depends how spicy you like)
1/2 tsbp of belacan  (I used belacan granules)

Tamarind juice:
1 1/4 cup of water
Tamarind pulp (size of a small ping pong ball)

Method:
1) Pound the spice paste with mortar and pestle or grind them in a food processor. Set aside.

2) Soak the tamarind pulp in warm water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind pulp constantly to extract the flavor into the water. Drain the pulp and save the tamarind juice.

3) Heat oil and fry the spice paste for 2 minutes or until fragrant.

4) Add the tamarind juice, fish curry powder and bring to boil.

5) Add the tomato wedges and okras and bring to boil.

6) Add the fish, salt, and palm sugar/sugar.

7) Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked and serve hot.


My final result tasted quite allright but I think it still can't beat my hubby's one. So, I will leave this very important task to him the next time..haha!