Asam Pedas

Name: Asam Pedas
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 12 Dried Red Chilies, deseeded and soaked until soft; 6 Shallots; 3 cloves of Garlic; 1 tsp Belacan (Shrimp Paste), toasted; 1 tsp Fresh Turmeric, sliced; 600g Spanish Mackerel Steaks (Tenggiri), cut into 4 portions; 50g Tamarind Pulp, mixed with warm water and strained for juice; 300ml Water, warm (for soaking tamarind pulp); 300ml Water, additional; 2 stalks of Lemongrass, bruised; 1 Bunga Kantan (Torch Ginger Bud), halved lengthwise; 1 bunch of Daun Kesum (Laksa Leaves); 10 Okras, trimmed; 2 Tomatoes, cut into wedges; 3 tbsp Cooking Oil; 1 1/2 tsp Salt, fine, to taste; 1 tsp Sugar, to taste

Asam Pedas is a tangy, spicy Malay fish stew brightened with tamarind and fragrant aromatics. Fiery chili paste, torch ginger and laksa leaves infuse the broth while tender mackerel steaks and crisp okra soak up the sour-savoury sauce. Serve steaming hot with plain rice for a comforting, vibrant meal.

Asam Pedas is a tangy, spicy Malay fish stew brightened with tamarind and fragrant aromatics. Fiery chili paste, torch ginger and ... Show more

Traditional Malaysian Recipe

Health Grade

S+ · Outstanding

Time

45 min

Price

2,32 €

Calories

541 kcal

low calorie

healthy

nutritious

one pot

Method

Soak the chilies

Remove the stems from the dried red chilies, shake out as many seeds as you can, and rinse them briefly. Put them in a bowl, cover with warm water, and press them down so they stay submerged. Let them soak for 15 minutes, until very soft and pliable.

Make tamarind juice

Break the tamarind pulp into a bowl and pour over 300 ml warm water. Mash it well with your fingers or the back of a spoon, then leave it for 5 minutes to loosen. Strain it through a fine sieve, pressing firmly to extract as much sour juice as possible, and discard the fibers and seeds.

Prep the ingredients

Peel the shallots and garlic. Rinse and slice the fresh turmeric. Check the Spanish mackerel steaks for any stray bones, pat them dry, and cut them into 4 equal portions if needed. Trim the root ends from the lemongrass and bruise each stalk with the back of your knife, halve the torch ginger bud lengthwise, pick through and rinse the daun kesum, trim the okra, and cut the tomatoes into wedges.

Toast the belacan

Set a small dry pan over medium-low heat and toast the belacan for 1 to 2 minutes, turning once, until it smells fragrant and looks slightly darker.

Blend the paste

Drain the softened chilies and transfer them to a jug blender with the shallots, garlic, fresh turmeric, and toasted belacan. Blend until you have a smooth, thick spice paste, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of the chili soaking liquid only if the blades need help moving.

Heat the oil

Place a heavy pot or deep saute pan over medium heat and add the cooking oil. Heat it until the oil looks loose and lightly shimmering.

Fry the paste

Scrape in the spice paste and cook it over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until it turns a deeper red, smells sweet and aromatic instead of raw, and you see a little oil separating around the edges.

Simmer the broth

Add the bruised lemongrass, torch ginger bud, strained tamarind juice, and the remaining 300 ml water to the pot. Bring everything to a lively simmer, then lower the heat and let it cook for 10 minutes so the broth picks up all the aromatic flavor.

Cook the fish

Slide the mackerel pieces into the simmering broth, then add the okra, tomatoes, and daun kesum. Season with salt and sugar, then keep the stew at a gentle simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through and flakes easily, the okra is tender, and the tomatoes have softened slightly while still holding their shape. Taste the broth and adjust with a little more salt or sugar if needed.

Serve hot

Turn off the heat and let the asam pedas sit for 2 minutes so the flavors settle. Ladle it into bowls, making sure each serving gets fish, okra, tomato, and plenty of the tangy broth. Serve hot, ideally with steamed rice.