Recipe: Indian Fish Head Curry

OK. First and foremost, this dish is not for squeamish English (or otherwise) people. It involves fishing (no pun intended) out fish eyes, lips, cartilage, bones and other icky innards. Er, actually, you have to be able to handle a raw fish head in the first place.

So consider yourself warned.

On the other hand, it is absolutely yummy if you like curry and fish and bold treasure hunts. And in London, the meat is exceedingly cheap to buy. I picked up the above fish head for 1 pound at Furness in Borough Market. They use it for decoration, you see... What you see in the picture is cod. Other recommended fish include threadfin, garoupa, red snapper - call your fishmonger in advance; they usually throw away the offcuts anyway.

Rumour has it that the dish was first invented by the owner of Muthu's Curry in Singapore. They don't really eat fish head curry in India.

(Speaking of which, I'm going to India in August/September as a volunteer at an orphanage in Chennai. Tonight was our first team training evening, and it was exciting just being there and catching the vision. It will be my second trip to India and I didn't realise how much I was looking forward to it! Again, grace dominates my prayers for this trip, so that is definitely something God has put on my heart.)

This recipe is a blend of many sources: Evelyn Liau, Ellice Handy, Sylvia Tan, and my old tastebuds of Singapore.

Indian Fish Head Curry

A very very big casserole, or wok.

1 fish head, cleaned and gills removed.

A - Spices (blend into paste with food processor)
8 candlenuts
60g fish curry powder
1 cup water

OR, if wish to make own curry paste in place of above spice mix, blend in food processor:
8 candlenuts
6 slices galangal
2 stalks lemongrass
1 tbsp peppercorns
1/2" tumeric
3/4 cup shallots
1 small piece belachan (1"x1"x1/2")
1-2 tbsp water (or more if too dry to blend into paste)

B - Juice
40g tamarind paste (assam), mix well with 2 cups water and strain, discarding pulp
2 cups coconut milk, diluted with 2 cups water

Note: If you don't like your curry lemak (i.e. coconutty), exclude the coconut milk and use instead 75g tamarind paste mixed with 4 cups water.

C - Ingredients
3 tbsp oil
1 onion, sliced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2" ginger, finely shredded
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
6 sprigs curry leaf

D - Vegetables
6 tomatoes, quartered
150g okra
150 aubergines (short variety), quartered lengthwise
3 green chillis, slit halfway

E - Seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 chicken stock cubes

~ * ~
1. Rub fish head all over with salt. Marinate overnight with 2 tbsps of A, and 3 tbsp of tamarind paste. Microwave on high for 5 minutes before cooking.

2. Heat oil. Fry C (except curry leaves) over moderate heat till fragrant. Add remainder of A and fry till oil bubbles through. Add coconut milk bit by bit. Add remainder of tamarind paste and bring to boil. Stir in curry leaves.

3. Add D and cook until vegetables are tender.

4. Add marinated fish head and cook for 10 minutes over medium fire, turning the fish over halfway.

5. Add E to taste.

Serve with hot steamed white rice.