Nyonya Assam Fish

When I was cleaning my refrigerator last week, I found some assam paste which my mom brought me from Malaysia.  Together with the garden picked tomatoes from home, it inspired me to make Nyonya Assam Fish.   On the following day, I headed to our local Chinese Supermarket to get the rest of the ingredients.  So happy to find the fresh okras which go perfectly well with this dish. 

Recipe: Nyonya Assam Fish

INGREDIENTS

2 fish steaks preferably makerel fish (about 1 lbs)

2 tomatoes (cut into wedges)

12 okras (lady fingers)

1 onion (sliced)

1 - 2 sprigs of mint leaves

3 tablespoons of cooking oil

salt to taste

Asam Soup:

2 stalks of lemongrass (sliced)

3 slices of galangal (lengkuas)

1 bud ginger flower (finely chopped)

2 tablespoons of sugar

2 tablespoons of assam paste 

Spice Paste:

4 shallots

1 clove garlic

1/2 inch sized of  turmeric (kunyit)

1 teaspoon of belacan (shrimp paste)

2 tablespoons of chilli paste

1/2 cup of water

1 tablespoon of sugar

METHOD

1.  Grind spice paste in a food processor and set aside.

2.  In a pot, bring 4 cups (1000 ml) of water to boil, add in assam soup and bring to boil again on slow flame. Simmer for 30 minutes, extract the liquid.

3.  Heat oil and pan fry the spice paste until aromatic.

4.  Add in the assam soup and bring to boil.

5.  Add tomato wedges and bring to boil.

6.  Add fish, okras and salt, cover up with the lid, on low heat shimmer until fish is cooked.

7.  Sprinkle mint leaves and onion slices on top and serve hot.