Little India Fish Head / Fillet Tamarind & Okra Curry – Authentic Singapore Recipe
Race Course Road specialty uniting South Indian spices and curry leaves with Peranakan tamarind and okra.
- Country of Origin
- 🇸🇬 Singapore (Southeast Asia, Asia)
- Dietary Profile
- pescatarian
- Prep Time
- 15 min
- Cook Time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Signature Staples
- Thick red snapper fillets, Whole tender okra pods, Purple eggplant and ripe tomatoes, Singapore curry powder, Tamarind juice
Ingredients for Little India Fish Head / Fillet Tamarind & Okra Curry (4 Servings)
- 1.25 lbs (or 2.5 cups) thick red snapper fillets, prepped into bite-sized pieces
- 1.5 cups whole tender okra pods, washed and trimmed
- 1 cup purple eggplant and ripe tomatoes
- 1 medium onion and 3 cloves garlic, finely minced with Singapore curry powder
- 1.5 tbsp traditional Singapore seasoning (tamarind juice, fresh curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, coconut milk)
- 2.5 cups rich culinary stock or aromatic cooking liquid, plus 2 tbsp cooking oil
Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
- Heat oil in a heavy Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat; brown thick red snapper fillets for 5 minutes.
- Add minced onion, garlic, Singapore curry powder, and tamarind juice, fresh curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, coconut milk, stirring for 2 minutes until deeply aromatic.
- Add whole tender okra pods and pour in the braising liquid; bring to a lively simmer.
- Cover and braise over medium-low heat for 20–22 minutes until meltingly tender and the sauce is rich and glossy.
- Stir in purple eggplant and ripe tomatoes right before serving warm.