Assam Pedas Ikan (sour fish curry)

From Debbie Teoh's recipe

A few days ago my relative gave us a Malay Cuisine treat at one of the popular Malay Restaurants in Johor Baru. We had their signature dish Assam Pedas Ikan. The taste was not bad but I found that it lacks of something, I just can't put a pen to what it was. I will say it did not have the "kick" factor. In order to satisfy my craving of the sourness and spiciness of this curry, so today I gathered all my ingredients and tried my hands at dishing it by myself.  For comparison's sake, I cooked 2 different recipes, one is adapted from Ms Debbie Teoh and the second  from a magazine. Both tastes good and surprisingly similar, with the former slightly more sour.

Recipes for the above click here. The original recipe called for stingray (ikan pari), I replaced with red snapper.

Recipe adapted from a magazine

Ingredients:

800g stingray or ikan  kembong

3 tablespoon tamarind pulp/assam jawa (mixed with 400ml water, strained and discard)

10 belimbing buloh (cut into pieces) - optional

2-3 sprigs laksa leaves/daun kesom

200g ladies fingers/okra (steamed)

5 tablespoon oil

Seasoning:

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/2 tablespoon sugar or to taste

Grind or blend ingredients:

10 shallts,

6 fresh red chillies

5 dried red chillies (soaked , and drained)

A small knod of fresh tumeric/kunyit basah

3 slices galangal

1/2 inch toasted belacan

Method:

1) In a wok or frying pan, heat oil over medium heat, saute ground spices paste until fragrant, stirring continuously to prevent burning. Add in the belimbing and continue cooking.

2) Once spice paste is fragrant, add in assam water and daun kesom.

3) Simmer over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.

4) Add fish, salt and sugar to taste. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes until fish is cooked.  Add in ladies fingers and cook for 1 minute.

5) Turn off heat. Serve .... Enjoy. Get ready some milk to quench the spiciness... heh heh.