200ml neutral-flavoured cooking oil, plus extra for the spice paste
100g tomatoes, quartered
130g tamarind purée
60g caster sugar
60g torch ginger flower (bunga kantan, optional), from Asian supermarket freezers, halved lengthways, plus extra, thinly sliced, to garnish
30g Vietnamese mint (daum kesum), plus extra, shredded, to garnish
1kg white fish, whole or deboned fillets, such as snapper or sea bass
80g okra
2tsp salt
steamed jasmine rice, to serve
For the spice paste
50g dried red chillies, deseeded, rehydrated in hot water for 15 minutes and drained
100g long red chillies, deseeded and chopped
30g garlic
60g red Asian shallots, chopped
30g piece fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped
60g fresh lemongrass stems, white parts only, chopped
4tsp belacan (shrimp paste), toasted (see cook’s note, below)
Method
Put all the ingredients for the
spice paste in a high-speed
blender and blitz until smooth,
adding a splash or two of the
extra oil if needed to loosen.
Heat a wok over a medium-
high heat and add some oil.
Cook the spice paste, stirring
constantly, for 5 minutes until
fragrant and the oil starts to
split from the paste.
Add the tomatoes and allow
to soften for around 5 minutes.
Add the tamarind, sugar, ginger
flower, if using, mint and 1 litre
water. Cover with a domed lid
and simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes.
Add the fish and cook for a further 8 minutes or until it is nearly cooked through,
then add the okra and salt – the flavour you are looking for is predominantly sour with a hint of sweetness. Remove
from the heat and allow to cool
on the stove for 5 minutes
before garnishing with the extra
ginger flower and mint, if using.
Serve with the rice.
COOK’S NOTE
To toast the belacan (shrimp
paste), place in a dry frying pan
over a medium heat and cook,
turning frequently, for 5 minutes.
RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN FROM THE GOLDEN WOK BY DIANA CHAN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARMELLE HABIB (QUADRILLE, £26).
