Fish head curry
Photo: JB Macatulad · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

Fish head curry was invented in 1949 in Singapore by M.J. Gomez, an Indian immigrant chef from Kerala, who adapted his native Keralan fish-head preparation for Chinese customers in the Race Course Road area. The dish became uniquely Singaporean: South Indian spice, Chinese love of the head, Malay tamarind. Samy's Curry and Banana Leaf Apolo are the canonical operators. Today it is a Sunday-lunch institution across the city.

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Common allergens: Fish, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 45 minTotal 1 hr 30 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 1 whole snapper or red grouper head, around 1.5kg, cleaned and scored
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt (for rubbing)
  • For the spice paste: 4 dried red chillies soaked
  • 8 shallots
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 3cm ginger
  • 2 stalks lemongrass white part only
  • 1 teaspoon shrimp paste (belacan)
  • 2 tablespoons coriander seeds toasted
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds toasted
  • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds toasted
  • 60ml vegetable oil
  • 20 fresh curry leaves
  • 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
  • 2 tablespoons fish-curry powder (Babas brand if available)
  • 2 tablespoons tamarind paste mixed with 200ml warm water
  • 400ml thick coconut milk
  • 400ml chicken stock or water
  • 3 large tomatoes, quartered
  • 200g okra, trimmed
  • 1 small aubergine, in 3cm chunks
  • 2 long green chillies, slit
  • Salt and sugar to taste
  • Cilantro to garnish
  • Basmati or banana leaf rice to serve

Method

  1. Rub the fish head with lime juice, turmeric and salt. Rest 20 minutes.
  2. Blend all spice-paste ingredients to a smooth paste in a food processor with a splash of water.
  3. Heat the oil in a wide heavy pan or wok over medium heat. Add curry leaves and mustard seeds; they will splutter.
  4. Add the spice paste and fry 12 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until the oil separates and the paste is deep brown.
  5. Stir in the fish-curry powder and cook 1 minute.
  6. Strain the tamarind water and add to the pan along with the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer.
  7. Add the aubergine; simmer 8 minutes.
  8. Add the tomatoes, okra and green chillies; simmer 5 minutes.
  9. Pour in the coconut milk and stir gently. Lower the fish head into the curry. Spoon sauce over the top.
  10. Simmer covered over low heat 15 to 20 minutes, basting occasionally, until the fish flakes from the bone.
  11. Taste and adjust salt and sugar. Scatter cilantro over.
  12. Serve in a wide bowl with basmati rice and lime wedges; diners pick the cheeks, eye and meat from the head.

Tip from the editors. The spice paste must be fried until oil separates; this is the canonical Singaporean Indian-curry technique. Rushing this step gives a flat curry.

Where to eat fish head curry

Fish head curry in Singapore

Samy's Curry ★ 4.4

$ South IndianDempsey Hill

A Dempsey institution since the 1960s, Samy's Curry serves banana-leaf spreads of fish head curry, masala chicken and free-flow biryani in a breezy colonial dining room. The spice blends trace back to founder Mr M. Veerasamy and have barely changed since the founding generation. Loved equally by office workers, families and visiting chefs.

OrderFish head curry, Masala chicken, Mysore mutton

TipThe S$4.50 rice set gets you free-flow white rice, papadum, vegetables and curry. Arrive before 1pm on weekday lunches to avoid the queue.

Directions

Casuarina Curry ★ 4.0

$ MalaysianEast Coast

Casuarina Curry is a malaysian room in East Coast. Open Monday to Thursday 10am to 11pm; Friday to Saturday 8am to midnight; Sunday 8am to 11pm. Walk-in only.

Why locals goLocated in a residential neighbourhood far from the tourist circuit, known almost exclusively through word of mouth among the Indian-Singaporean community.

TipOpen Monday to Thursday 10am to 11pm; Friday to Saturday 8am to midnight; Sunday 8am to 11pm. Walk-in only.

Directions Book

Tekka Centre ★ 4.5

$ S$3 to S$8 per dishStreet foodLittle India

Little India's principal hawker centre, where the most affordable Indian, Malay and Singaporean food in the district is served across the upper floor while the wet market operates below. The thosai, roti prata, biryani and nasi padang stalls all serve well under S$8 for a full meal. The surrounding spice stalls add an olfactory dimension absent from more polished food courts.

TipOpen daily 6.30am to 9pm. Sunday mornings are the most warm-lit period. The wet market opens from 6am for fresh produce.

Directions

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