Fish Head Curry — Print Recipe

A massive red snapper head simmered in a fiery, tangy curry gravy with okra, eggplant, and tomatoes — a uniquely Singaporean invention fusing South Indian curry with Chinese love of fish head.

Ingredients

1 large red snapper head (about 1 kg), cleaned
4 tbsp fish curry powder
200ml coconut milk
400ml tamarind water
2 medium eggplants, cut into chunks
8 okra, halved
2 tomatoes, quartered
4 shallots, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
10 curry leaves
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
3 dried chilies
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
Salt and sugar to taste

Instructions

1 Heat oil in a large pot. Fry fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, lemongrass, and dried chilies until fragrant.
2 Add shallots and garlic, cook until softened.
3 Add curry powder and a splash of water, fry until oil separates from the paste.
4 Pour in tamarind water and coconut milk. Bring to a gentle boil.
5 Carefully lower the fish head into the curry. Add eggplant.
6 Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the fish head is cooked through and the curry is thick.
7 Add okra and tomatoes in the last 5 minutes. Season with salt and sugar. Serve in the pot.

Did You Know?

Fish head curry was invented in 1940s Singapore by an Indian cook named M.J. Gomez, who noticed his Chinese customers loved fish heads and created a curry specifically for them.