Nyonya Acar Fish

4.84 from 6 votes

Nyonya Acar Fish recipe - This mouthwatering and super delicious fish, is a much celebrated Nyonya recipe. Everyone in my family loves this concoction of deep-fried fish pickled with a turmeric-vinegar base, spiced with garlic, ginger, and chilies.

Cook Time20

Inactive Time4

Total Time4 20

Course: Fish

Cuisine: Nyonya Recipes

Keyword: Nyonya Acar Fish

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

1 medium-sized turmeric peeled and sliced into thin pieces
600 g (1¼ lb) silver mullet or bone-in Red Snapper fish fillet cut into 1-inch thick fillet
1 big knob ginger peeled and cut into matchstick strips
2 small garlic bulb peeled and sliced into thin pieces
3 fresh red chilies sliced into pieces diagonally
10-12 bird's eye chilies

Marinade:

2 cups oil
2 cups water
1 cup chinese rice vinegar or to taste
2 tablespoons salt or to taste
1 cup sugar or to taste
1 tablespoon toasted white sesame

Instructions

Dry the turmeric, ginger, and garlic under the sun for a few hours. Marinate the fish with some salt before deep-frying until golden and crispy. Transfer the fish to a deep pot, followed by the ginger, garlic, and chilies.
Heat a wok and stir-fry the turmeric until the oil becomes yellow. Discard the turmeric using a colander. Add water and vinegar to the wok and bring it to a boil. Season with sugar and salt according to the recipe or to taste.
Transfer the marinade into the pot, ensuring that the fish and ingredients are submerged. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top, cover the pot, and let the fish pickle overnight. The fish is best served the next day.

Notes

Stated above is the traditional method of making Nyonya acar fish. You can leave the ginger, garlic, and turmeric to air dry for a few hours, or you can even use the oven to quickly "dry" them. The key is to lose the moisture content in the ingredients.

Nutrition