Sea bass curry

asam pedas curry gluten free indulgent malaysian cooking sea bass torch ginger flower vietnamese mint

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Source

Ingredients

60ml oil

1 torch ginger flower finely chopped, or 1 tbsp torch ginger paste or grated ginger (optional)

20 Vietnamese mint (hot mint) or coriander leaves, plus extra to serve

4 sea bass fillets, plus 1 fish carcass tied in a muslin bag

4 tbsp tamarind concentrate

1 tbsp sugar

3 tomatoes , cut into eighths

24 dried chillies

3 lemongrass stalks , white parts roughly chopped

10 shallots , roughly chopped

2.5cm fresh turmeric , grated

40g shrimp paste

Method

Put all the ingredients for the rempah (curry paste) in a food processor and blend until everything is very finely chopped. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the rempah and cook over a low heat until a layer of red oil separates out on top. Add the torch ginger or ginger and Vietnamese mint leaves and stir, then add the fish carcass and cook for 5-8 mins.

Add the tamarind, sugar, 1 tbsp salt and 300 ml water and cook for 5 mins. Turn off the heat, take out the fish carcass and add the tomatoes.

Put the sea bass in a baking dish and pour over a little of the sauce. Put the dish in a roasting tin. Pour a little boiling water into the tin, then cover and steam the fish for 10 mins or until just cooked. Lift out the fish and discard the cooking liquid. Serve with the remaining sauce poured over and scattered with some more Vietnamese mint leaves.