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Singaporean Tamarind Coconut Fish Curry
5 from 210 votes

Singaporean Tamarind Coconut Fish Curry

Singaporean Tamarind Coconut Fish Curry features tender white fish simmered in a fragrant rempah spice paste, enriched with coconut cream and tangy tamarind juice. The pounded rempah of dried chili, lemongrass, turmeric, garlic, and ginger creates a deeply aromatic base, producing a balanced curry with creamy texture and a hint of sourness. This curry suits well as a main dish paired with white or brown rice, delivering a distinctive Southeast Asian flavor profile that highlights the fish's delicate texture and the richness of coconut.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 311 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Malaysian, Singaporean

Ingredients

  • 15.9 oz White fish fillets (gutted and descaled) (450g) Wash the fish in salt water, then drain dry and cut into 1 inch/ 1,5 cm pieces. In Singapore, we use ikan tenggiri, ikan merah and ikan kurau, but you can also use a white fish like cod, halibut or tilapia. Substitute: pork (it will need to be cooked longer than the fish). Don't use oyster mushrooms as it doesn't go well with the tamarind.
  • ⅖ Cup coconut cream (100ml), mixed with 1 Chinese bowl of water. Alternatively grate ½ a coconut and mix it with 225 ml of water. You can also skim off the thicker top of full-fat coconut milk and use it in place of coconut cream.
  • 1 T tamarind paste Mix it with ¼-1/2 Chinese bowl of water
  • fish sauce to taste, or salt
  • 2 T vegetable oil or to taste. Don't use olive oil! Canola or sunflower works (palm oil is the traditional choice in South East Asia)
Rempah (to be pounded together- cut all the ingredients, where possible, before pounding)
  • 4 dried chili Cut to facilitate pounding) (Remove the seeds to make it less spicy) Don't touch your eyes after touching the dried chillies or you will cry
  • 2 lemongrass white part/ base) Chop extra fine before pounding to make life easier for yourself, stalks
  • 1 piece Turmeric Substitute with turmeric paste or 1 of these substitutes if you don't have fresh on hand
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 lice ginger Peel with the back of a spoon if you wish- i sometimes leave the skin on!

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cut all the ingredients for the rempah, then pound (or blend) till fine.
  2. Heat the cooking oil, then fry the pounded rempah. Keep stirring and frying till the oil separates out and you can smell the fragrance of the ingredients.
  3. Add the coconut cream (mixed with water), bring to the boil then add the fish and reduce the heat to a simmer.
  4. Add the tamarind juice and simmer for another 2-3 minutes or till the fish is cooked. (Frozen or bigger fish pieces will take longer to cook.) Add more water till the gravy is at your ideal consistency/ tastiness.
  5. Add fish sauce or salt, to taste
  6. Serve with white rice, cauliflower rice or brown rice.

Notes

  • The rempah paste can be made in advance and frozen in portions for easy future use.
  • Curry flavors deepen after resting overnight; consider making it a day ahead for better taste.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days, as coconut cream has a short shelf life.
  • If freezing, freeze only the curry sauce but avoid freezing the fish itself to preserve texture.
  • You may add vegetables like broccoli, tomatoes, or okra along with the rempah for variation.

Nutrition Information

Calories 311kcal (16%) Carbohydrates 25g (8%) Protein 23g (46%) Fat 13g (20%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g (12%) Monounsaturated Fat 3g (15%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 56mg (19%) Sodium 76mg (3%) Potassium 404mg (9%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 22g (44%) Vitamin A 134IU (3%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 20mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 311

% Daily Value*

Calories 311kcal 16%
Carbohydrates 25g 8%
Protein 23g 46%
Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g 15%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 56mg 19%
Sodium 76mg 3%
Potassium 404mg 9%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 22g 44%
Vitamin A 134IU 3%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 20mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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