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5 from 4 votes

Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) is a classic Malaysian and Singapore dish. Spanish Mackerel, Stingray, or Pomfret are normally used to cook this Nyonya-style dish. The gravy has the perfect balance of hotness, sweetness, and sourness, and goes very well with rice. This asam pedas recipe is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious.

Check out our Nyonya-style acar recipe as a side of vegetables.

Chinese Version: 酸辣娘惹式亞參魚食谱

Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Recipe

Nyonya Style Asam Pedas Recipe | MyKitchen101en

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients:

  • 400 g fish (Spanish Mackerel, Stingray, or Pomfret)
  • 6 okra (ladies’ fingers)
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 20 dried chillies (~ 25g)
  • 3-4 shallots (~ 35g)
  • 3 garlic cloves (~ 10g)
  • 1 onion (~ 55g)
  • 1 lemongrass stalk
  • 1 Tbsp dried shrimp
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder (or 3-cm piece of fresh turmeric root)
  • 1 lime (Extract juice)
  • 2-3 Tbsp Asam Jawa (Tamarind) paste (soak in some water to extract the flavor)
  • 2 sprig of Vietnamese cilantro (daun kesum, laksa leaf)
  • 4 Tbsp cooking oil
  • 800ml water
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp sugar

(adjust salt and sugar to your liking)

 

Instructions:

1 Vietnamese cilantro (Persicaria odorata) or commonly known as Laksa leaf(Daun Kesum) in Malaysia and Singapore. This herb is often used in Southeast Asia cooking.

Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Vietnamese cilantro (daun kesum, laksa leaf)

2 Trick for choosing younger Okra (ladies’ fingers) is to use your finger to feel the tip. Those with softer tips will be the youngest pods. Young okras are more tender with better texture. Add vegetables such as long bean, eggplant if you prefer.

How to Pick Okra - Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish)

3 Mix tamarind paste with some water and set aside.

Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Tamarind Paste
 

4 Cut, rinse and drain dried chillies.

Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Dried Chilli

5 Combine shallot, garlic, onion, lemongrass, dried shrimp, turmeric powder and dried chillies in a blender, add in some water and process into paste, stir in between.

Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Blending

6 Add in 4 Tbsps of cooking oil, heat paste over medium heat, continue stirring. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the oil separate out and the paste starts to have fragrance.

Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Chilli Paste

7 Add in fish, 800ml water, ladies’ fingers, tomato, sprig of laksa leaf. Bring to the boil again, reduce to low heat and cook for 8 minutes or until fish is fully cooked. Reduce amount of water if you prefer thicker gravy.

Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Vietnamese cilantro

8 Add in salt, sugar, lime juice and juice from tamarind paste. Adjust sourness taste to your liking.

Adding Lime Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish)

9 Turn off heat and let the asam pedas sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Recipe

Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Recipe

Asam Pedas Recipe (Nyonya Style)

Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) is a classic Malaysian and Singapore dish. Spanish Mackerel, Stingray, or Pomfret are normally used to cook this Nyonya-style dish.

Rate

5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 55 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Malaysia, Nyonya
Servings 12 servings
Calories 102 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 400 g fish Spanish Mackerel, Stingray, or Pomfret
  • 6 okra ladies’ fingers
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 20 dried chillies ~ 25g
  • 4 shallots ~ 35g
  • 3 garlic cloves ~ 10g
  • 1 onion ~ 55g
  • 1 stalk lemongrass
  • 1 tbsp dried shrimp
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder or 3-cm piece of fresh turmeric root
  • 1 lime Extract juice
  • 3 tbsps Asam Jawa Tamarind paste (soak in some water to extract the flavor)
  • 2 sprig Vietnamese cilantro daun kesum, laksa leaf
  • 4 tbsps cooking oil
  • 800 ml water
  • tsp salt adjust to your liking
  • 2 tsp sugar adjust to your liking

Instructions
 

  • Vietnamese cilantro (Persicaria odorata) or commonly known as Laksa leaf(Daun Kesum) in Malaysia and Singapore. This herb is often used in Southeast Asia cooking.
    Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Vietnamese cilantro (daun kesum, laksa leaf)
  • Trick for choosing younger Okra (ladies’ fingers) is to use your finger to feel the tip. Those with softer tips will be the youngest pods. Young okras are more tender with better texture. Add vegetables such as long bean, eggplant if you prefer.
    How to Pick Okra - Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish)
  • Mix tamarind paste with some water and set aside.
    Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Tamarind Paste
  • Cut, rinse and drain dried chillies.
    Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Dried Chilli
  • Combine shallot, garlic, onion, lemongrass, dried shrimp, turmeric powder and dried chillies in a blender, add in some water and process into paste, stir in between.
    Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Blending
  • Add in 4 tbsps of cooking oil, heat paste over medium heat, continue stirring. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the oil separate out and the paste starts to have fragrance.
    Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Chilli Paste
  • Add in fish, 800ml water, ladies’ fingers, tomato, sprig of laksa leaf. Bring to the boil again, reduce to low heat and cook for 8 minutes or until fish is fully cooked. Reduce amount of water if you prefer thicker gravy.
    Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Vietnamese cilantro
  • Add in salt, sugar, lime juice and juice from tamarind paste. Adjust sourness taste to your liking.
    Adding Lime Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish)
  • Turn off heat and let the asam pedas sit for 5 minutes before serving.
    Asam Pedas (Spicy Tamarind Fish) Recipe

Video

Notes

This recipe yields 12 servings.
The nutritional value for reference is for 1 serving. 

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 102kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 8gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 345mgPotassium: 164mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 459IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 1mg
Keyword asam pedas, nyonya asam pedas
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