Firstly, marinate the fish in tamarind solution (1.5 tsp tamarind paste + 100ml water) for about 10 minutes. This will help to get rid of the fishy odour.
Let’s prepare the spices:
– Blend the garlic, shallot, ginger and dried chillies (soaked and deseeded). Set aside.
– In a small bowl, pour in the fish curry powder and add 2 tbsp water to create a paste. Set aside.
Heat a wok at medium heat and toast the rice until brown, then crush the toasted rice until fine. Set aside.
Heat the oil at medium seat and saute the onions until fragrant before adding in the curry leaves, mustard seed and fenugreek seeds. Continue sauteing until the mustard seeds begin to pop.
Then add in the blended paste and curry powder paste and stir the mixture until well combined and the oil begins to separate from the mixture.
Add in the crushed toasted rice and 800ml water and increase the heat to maximum to bring the curry up to a boil. Note: The starch from the rice acts as a thickening agent
Once it’s boiling, add in the fish, aubergines, ladies’ fingers and tomatoes. Then reduce the heat and simmer for about 8 – 10 minutes until the fish is cooked. Remove the fish from the curry and set aside.
Add in 1.5 tsp tamarind paste, salt and sugar and continue letting the curry simmer for 40 minutes (or until the curry reaches your desired thickness)
Lastly, when the curry is ready, add the fish back into the curry and increase the heat to allow it to boil and re-heat the fish.
The fish head curry is ready to served! It;s best enjoyed with a bowl (0r two hehe) of steamed white rice.
