A speciality down in Johor and Melaka, you can find roadside huts selling just asam pedas and nothing else. We used stingray, but parang, tenggiri and merah are all common choices. Serve with hot white rice, ulam, sambal belacan and soy sauce.
” A fantastic melange of sour, spicy and je ne sais quoi. ”
Asam Pedas Ikan Pari
Print ThisIngredients
To Pound:
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- 6 shallots
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- 2 cloves garlic
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- 1” piece ginger
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- ½” piece fresh turmeric
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- 4 tbps cili boh (soak dried chillies, drain water and blend into a paste)
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- ½ cup of air asam jawa (tamarind juice)
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- 3 cup water
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- 250g stingray, cut into chunks
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- 2 stalks daun kesum (laksa or polygonum leaves)
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- 3 pieces of salted vegetables (sayur masin)
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- 6 lady fingers
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- 3 Tbs cooking oil
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- Salt, sugar and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat the oil in a medium-sized pot. Fry the pounded ingredients until fragrant.
Stir in cili boh and fry until the oil rises to the top- do not skim this off!
Strip the laksa leaves off the stalks and stir it into the paste. Pour in the asam jawa juice and stir well.
Put in the stingray of chunks, salted vegetables and water. Bring to a boil then reduce flame to a gentle simmer.
Season with salt, sugar and black pepper.
Add the lady fingers, simmer for a few more minutes.
Notes
It is a fantastic melange of sour, spicy, and je ne sais quoi that no Southerner can go long without. Almost all fish (or meat, for that matter) can be cooked in this manner Do not slice the lady fingers too early or put them in the gravy too early or they will turn slimy. Cut them right before putting them in at the very end.