Fish Head Recipes

NYONYA ASAM FISH HEAD

350ml watr
25g asam jawa paste
700g fish head, halved
5 lady's fingers
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 tbsp oil
2 stalks polygonum (daun kesum) 

Spice paste (blended)
5 fresh red chillies, seeded
3 dried chillies, soaked and seeded
1 tbsp sliced lemon grass
3 slices galangal
1 cm fresh turmeric root
10 shallots
5 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp belacan powder (shrimp paste powder)
1 1/2 tbsp fish curry powder


Seasoning
Adequate salt to taste
1/8 tsp sugar or to taste
1 tsp ikan bilis stock granules


Garnishing
1 tbsp finely sliced torch ginger bud (bunga kantan)

Lightly season fish head with salt and pepper.  Steam for 10 minutes. Remove and discard any excess water from the plate.

Mix the water and asam jawa paste and strain the juice .  Set aside.  Head oil in a saucepan.  Fry blended spices and plygonum stalks until fragrant.  Thion down with 2-3 tablespoons of the strained tamarind juice.

Add the rest of the tamarind juice and lady's fingers.  Bring to a boil.  Allow to simmer for 5-6 minutes.  Add cherry tomatoes and ajust with seasoning to taste.

Dish out gravy and pour over the fish.  Contunue steaming for a further 3-4 minutes or until the eyes of the fish pop out.

Serve the dish with a sprinkling of sliced wild ginger bud. 

STEAMED FISH HEAD


1/2 a fish head (garoupa or red snapper)


Marinade (A)
Adequate salt and pepper
A little sugar


(B)
2 bird's eye chillies, chopped
1/2 a tomato, thinly sliced
2 slices soft beancurd
15g salted cabbage green stems (harm choy), shredded
1 piece pickled sour plum (sheen mui), seeded and chopped
4 slices ginger


Sauce (C)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp fish sauce
Dash of pepper
1/4 tsp chicken seasoning powder
3 tbsp water


Garnishing
Some schopped spring onion and fresh red chilli
1 tbsp fried garlic oil
Some fried garlic crisps


Clean the fish head.  Lightly season with marinade (A) and set aside.


Arrange ingredients (B) on the base of a heatproof dish.  Place fish head over the ingredients and steam for 15 minutes.


Pour away excess water.


Combine sauce (C) in a small nonstick saucepan and cook to a low simmering boil, then pour hot sauce over the fish.  Finally, garnish the fish before serving.

 CLAYPOT FISH HEAD SOUP


1/2 a fish head, chopped into bite-sized pieces
Oil for deep-frying
150g yam, cut into finger thick slices and deep-fried until golden
4 slices tong kwai
5 slices ginger
1 tbnsp kei chi
30g salted cabbage green stems (harm choy), shredded and soaked for 10-15 minutes
70g oyster mushrooms torn into half
1.5 litres fresh chicken stock


(A)
1/2 tsp saslt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ikan bilis stock powder
1/2 cup tapioca flour


Seasoning (B)
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp sugar or to taste
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp chicken seasoning powder 
1/4 tsp ikan bilis stock powder


Garnishing
Some chopped spring onion, coriander and chilli 
Fried shallot crisps


Combine ingredients (A) in a large mixing bowl.  Add fish head pieces and toss until well coated with tapioca mixture.  Deep-fry in hot oil until golden brown.


Heat chicken stock in a pot.  Add tong kwai slices, ginger slices, kei chi, salted cabbage and yam.  Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes.


Add pre-fried fish and oyster mushrooms.  Boil for 8-10 minutes.  Dish out into individual clay pots and serve with garnishing.