Asam Pedas Fish
Asam Pedas, or ‘sour spicy,’ is a must-try classic Malaysian dish that brings the heat with tangy tamarind, fiery chilies, and a rich, savory broth. It’s the perfect dish to satisfy your cravings for bold, flavorful food!
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 pomfret 1/2 pound to 1 pound (200 g-400 g)
- 5 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon fish curry powder
- 1 tomato cut into wedges
- 10 small okras
- 2 sprigs of daun kesum Vietnamese mint/Vietnamese coriander
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar/sugar
Spice Paste:
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 stalk of lemongrass white part only
- 4 shallots
- 8-10 dried chillies depends how spicy you like
- 1/2 tablespoon belacan prawn paste
Tamarind Juice:
- 1 1/4 cup water
- Tamarind pulp size of a small ping pong ball
Instructions
- Pound the spice paste with a mortar and pestle or grind it in a food processor. Set aside.
- Soak the tamarind pulp in warm water for 15 minutes, squeezing constantly to extract the flavor. Drain the pulp and save the tamarind juice.
- Heat oil and fry the spice paste for 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the tamarind juice and fish curry powder, and bring to a boil. Add the tomato wedges, okras, and daun kesom, and bring to a boil again. Add the fish, salt, and palm sugar or regular sugar.
- Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, or until the fish is cooked. Serve hot.
Notes
- I can’t stress this enough—fresh fish is a game changer! Whether I use mackerel, snapper, or pomfret, fresh fish really brings out the juiciness and flavor that makes the dish so delicious.
- I take my time grinding the spice paste, whether I’m using a mortar and pestle or food processor. A smooth paste means more flavor getting into the dish, and trust me, it makes a difference!
- For me, adding okra and tomatoes not only boosts the flavor but also gives the dish a nice texture. Okra adds a bit of bite, while tomatoes break down and make the broth even more flavorful.
- Once the fish goes in, I lower the heat and let it simmer slowly. This gives the fish a chance to absorb all the amazing flavors from the broth.
Nutrition
Serving: 4people | Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 84mg | Potassium: 275mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 742IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg