Name: Malaysian Fish Head Curry Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds; 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds; 1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds; 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns; 1/4 teaspoon whole white peppercorns; 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chile powder, or more to taste1 teaspoon ground turmeric; chile powder; 3 medium cloves garlic (1/2 ounce; 15g); One 1-inch knob peeled ginger (1/2 ounce; 15g), sliced into coins; 3 tablespoons (45ml) neutral oil, such as vegetable oil, divided; 3 small Japanese eggplants (10 1/2 ounces; 300g), quartered lengthwise and cut into 3-inch lengths; 1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds1 teaspoon whole fenugreek seeds; fenugreek seeds; 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds1 small yellow onion (4 ounces; 113g), thinly sliced; fennel seeds; 1 small yellow onion; Kosher salt; 2 large garden tomatoes (14 ounces; 400g), cored and dice; 25 curry leaves, woody stems removed; 1 tablespoon (15ml) tamarind paste; 1 pound (454g) fish heads (from about 2 large fish, preferable a large oily fish like mackerel or salmon), split in half lengthways and gills removed (see notes); 10 large okra pods (5 ounces; 140g), stem ends trimmed and pods sliced in half on a bias crosswise; 3 small green chiles, such as serranos or green bird's eye, stemmed, sliced in half lengthwise, and seeded; 1 teaspoon light brown sugar, turbinado sugar, or granulated sugar; 1/2 cup (120ml) full-fat coconut milk; Cooked white rice or warm flatbreads, for serving

1 For the Curry Powder: In a dry skillet, toast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, and white peppercorns over medium heat until they darken slightly and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer the toasted spices to a mortar or spice grinder. Allow spices to cool for 1 minute, then grind spices until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the chile powder and turmeric. Set aside.

2 For the Curry: Using the same mortar (no need to wipe it out), pound the garlic and ginger into a smooth paste.

3 In a large sauté pan or medium Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the eggplant in a single layer and cook until first side is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Flip the eggplant and cook until second side is lightly browned, about 2 minutes (we’re not looking to fully cook the eggplant; we just want to get some color on them). Transfer to a plate and set aside.

4 Add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the same sauté pan or Dutch oven and reduce heat to medium-low. Add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spices are fragrant and the mustard seeds begin to sputter, 30 seconds.

5 Stir in the sliced onions, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to soften, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger paste along with the diced tomatoes, and cook until the tomatoes begin to break down into a sauce, about 10 minutes.

6 Meanwhile, slowly add 1/2 cup (120ml) water to the curry powder while whisking to form a paste. Stir the curry paste into the broken-down tomatoes and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.

7 Add the curry leaves to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tamarind paste and 2 cups (475ml) water, then stir well, making sure to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet.

8 Add the fish head halves, reserved eggplant, sliced okra, and sliced green chiles, making sure the liquid in the skillet comes at least 2/3 of the way up the sides of the fish heads; add more water if necessary. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover with a lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the fish heads and okra are fully cooked, about 20 minutes.

9 Stir in the sugar and coconut milk and season with salt. Simmer for another 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Serve warm with rice or flatbread.