Cookings By Maria

Asam Pedas Ikan Pari

• By admin_maria
• February 28, 2017
• No Comments

Asam Pedas Ikan Pari…. One of well known dish among Malaysian. The gravy is spicy and sour, yet loved by everyone. Bunga Kantan and daun kesum is a key ingredients which make the flavor of this asam pedas to the best taste ever. Cook the dish and serve it with Mango Kerabu and white rice, it’s such a perfect combination of menu on your dining table.

Ingredients :

• 500-600 gm Ikan Pari
  Oil for sauteing (4-5 tablespoon)
  2 Onion
  5 cloves garlic
  1 cm ginger
  2cm Lengkuas (optional)
  6-7 Tablespoon chili paste
  1 Teaspoon turmeric powder
  2 Lemongrass
  1 Bunga kantan
  3-4pcs Daun limau purut
  Daun Kesum (handful amount)
  2 Tablespoon Asam Jawa (tamarind)
  1-2 Tomato
  6 – Ladies finger
  2 Cup hot water
  1-2 tablespoon sugar
  Salt to taste.

Let’s Cook the Asam Pedas :

Prepare the required ingredients. Some of the qty can be adjusted based on individual taste bud.

Blend to paste : Onion, garlic, ginger & lengkuas (optional to use).

Blend to paste about 15 pcs of dried chili. (Soak in hot water and grind it to make paste). In this recipe, I used store bought chili paste ( less spicy type and I add about 6 tablespoon into the gravy).

Slit the lemon grass and finely slice the bunga kantan. Cut the lemon grass to 2 slices. The aroma released well, when we cut it in such a way.
Tomato and ladies finger, cut to desired shapes.

Heat some oil ( 4-5 tablespoon) in the cooking pan. Keep medium heat, add in the blended onion-ginger paste. Saute the paste till it start to release the aroma. About 2-3 minutes.

Then add in the chili paste. Let it have sauteed until it reach the “pecah minyak” level.

Note : If we use less oil while sauteing step, then we won’t get the “pecah minyak” step that smoothly. Sometime the chili will start to get burned earlier. So it’s suggested to use reasonable amount of oil during sauteing steps.

Once the chili paste been sauteed well in the oil, throw in the lemon grass and sliced bunga kantan.  Stir, let the chili paste, lemon grass and bunga kantan cooked in low heat ( 1-2 minutes). This steps are important in order the spices are blended together and brings out nice flavor. If the chili is too dry, then add few spoon of hot water and let the ingredients cooked for a while.

In a small bowl, dilute the asam jawa (tamarind) with some water then add it into the gravy.
I used about 2 tablespoon of asam jawa (raw tamarind). Adjust the sourness based on individual preference.
Let the gravy cook further in low heat.
Add in the turmeric powder, sliced limau purut and daun kesum leaves as well.

Now can add in about 2 cups of hot water and continue to cook the gravy (adjust the water qty based on amount of gravy you preferred). Season with some salt and sugar.
Sugar is a must add ingredient in this asam pedas recipe. But how much to add ? It depends on the individual preference .

Ensure the right amount of gravy/ thicknes needed. Then only start to add in the fish, ladies finger(bendi) and tomatoes.
As fish will be cooked very quickly, ensure the seasoning (salt/sour/sugar) been done by this last step.
Within 5-6 minutes the fish should be cooked well. Off the heat.
It’s done

Malaysian Flavor.. Asam Pedas Ikan Pari.