Nyonya-style Asam Fish Curry with Zespri® Kiwifruit Wedges
Ingredients
• 3 Zespri® Green Kiwifruit, peeled and quartered lengthwise
• 75 ml oil • 1 torch ginger, quartered lengthwise
• 600 g fish, cut into 5 cm chunks or 3 cm slices/steaks (Fish such as Red Snapper (Ikan Merah), Threadfin (Senangin) or White pomfret (Bawal Putih) would all be suitable. )
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1½ Tbsp sugar
• 1 rounded Tbsp (40 g) tamarind pulp
• 650 ml water Chilli paste ingredients
• 15 g dried chillies, snipped into 1 cm lengths
• 3 fresh red chillies (60 g), seeded and sliced
• 100 g shallots, sliced
• 2 stalks lemon grass, cut 12 cm from the base, sliced (30 g)
• 1 cm (5 g) turmeric root, sliced
• 5 g shrimp paste
• 125 ml water
Directions
1. Soak dried chillies in warm water for 15 minutes until softened. Rinse several times, discarding as many of the seeds as possible.
2. Place the dried chillies, fresh chillies, shallots, lemon grass, turmeric, shrimp paste and the 125 ml water in an electric blender. Whiz to a fairly fine paste and set aside.
3. Squeeze tamarind and (650 ml) water together with your fingers to extract the pulp. Discard seeds, set tamarind liquid aside.
4. Heat oil in a roomy pan and add blended paste, cooking on low heat until most of the liquid evaporates, oil surfaces and mixture smells “cooked” and fragrant.
5. Add tamarind liquid and bring mixture to the boil. Add torch ginger, salt and sugar. Simmer mixture on medium heat for 5 – 6 minutes before adding fish. Cook until fish turns opaque – about 6 – 8 minutes. Add kiwi fruit, bring mixture back to the boil and take pan off the heat. Taste and adjust seasonings.