Kari Ikan (malaysian Fish Curry)

Fuji's Note:

if okras are not your thing replace them with green beans. Malaysian fish curry powder can be bought from Asian supermarkets. (note: i didn't strictly follow every step. adjust measurements to your own taste :)

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 medium onion
• 3 tablespoons fish curry powder
• 3 tablespoons dried tamarind
• 560 ml water (2 1/4 cups)
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 stalk curry leaf
• 2 medium tomatoes , cut into wedges
• 500 g grouper (or trevally, black pomfret)
• 10 okra , stalk ends removed
• 2 green chilies , halved lengthwise
• 125 ml coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. process garlic and onion to a smooth paste in a spice blender, adding a little oil if needed to keep the mixture turning,set aside.
2. mix curry powder with 4 tbsp water to form a paste,set aside.
3. soak tamarind pulp in 500ml (2 cups) of water for 5 minutes, then squeeze and strain to obtain juiceset aside.
4. heat oil in a wide saucepan,add mustard seeds, fenugreek, cumin and curry leaves. fry until mustard seeds start to pop (around 30 seconds)add the garlic onion paste, stir fry over low heat until mixture smells fragrant and starts to brown (about 5 minutes).
5. add curry paste and cook over low heat until dry and oil starts to separate (8 to 10 minutes).add tamarind juice and bring to a boil.
6. add fish and okras, tomatoes, chillies, coconut milk, salt. simmer gently about 10 minutes (or until fish and okras are cooked through).

Reviews

[Yuzuiro]

This was spicy and delicious! My first Malaysian curry. I followed the recipe almost exactly except I didn't notice that it called for "fish" curry powder when I made my shopping list but I managed to find a recipe for Malaysian fish curry powder on the Internet. I also followed Fuji's suggestion that I make it to taste and did not add the whole amount of tamarind water thinking it might be too sour for my taste. I added two small cubes of palm sugar that gave it all a nice balance. Mahalo!

[Karen Elizabeth]

A very good fish curry, in fact, DH says this is one of the best he has had, and we have tried quite a few! Spicy and fragrant, lots of sauce, which he likes. I used the green bean option, and when it was nearly ready, I added a good handful of fresh, finely chopped spinach, since I was in the middle of cleaning and preparing it for the freezer! I served this on steamed rice, which absorbs the sauce nicely. Thanks for an excellent recipe, Fuji!

[melting pot]

Very fragrant and easy...my mom liked it so much, she's keeping the leftovers and taking it to work tomorrow! I served this with coconut rice i.e using coconut milk in my rice cooker instead of water, because I had so much leftover coconut milk, and the rice was subtly flavoured and scented.