Ikan Asam Pedas (One‑Pot Malaysian Sour‑Spicy Fish Stew)
A single‑pot Malay classic: firm white fish simmered in a tamarind, chilli and belacan (shrimp paste) broth with eggplant, okra and tomato — minimal washing up and big on bright, tangy flavour.
45 min
start to finish
20 min
hands on
Some skill
difficulty
4
servings
Ingredients
For the spice paste
Contains fish, shellfish. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.
Roughly, per serving
350 kcal30g protein12g carbs18g fat
An estimate, not a lab analysis.
Method
Put the dried red chillies in a small bowl and pour over just‑boiled water to cover; leave to soak.
Rinse the fish pieces, pat dry, sprinkle with a small pinch of salt and set aside.
Dissolve the tamarind paste in 60–80 ml warm water, stir and set aside.
Drain the soaked dried chillies and add them to a blender with the fresh red chillies, shallots, garlic, galangal and belacan; add 2 tablespoons water and blend to a coarse smooth paste.
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot over medium heat until shimmering.
Add the chilli‑shallot paste to the pot and sauté, stirring often, until the paste is fragrant and the oil begins to separate from it.
Lower heat if the paste starts to darken too quickly.
Add the smashed lemongrass and stir for 1 minute to release its aroma.
Pour in 2 cups (475 ml) water and the tamarind water, bring to a gentle simmer.
Add the eggplant pieces to the simmering broth and cook until they start to soften.
Add the okra and tomato quarters and simmer until vegetables are tender but still hold shape.
Gently slide the fish pieces into the simmering stew, spooning sauce over them once; simmer uncovered until the fish is opaque and cooked through.
Stir in the palm sugar and 1 teaspoon salt, taste and adjust seasoning (add more tamarind water for sour, sugar for sweet, or salt as needed).
Remove and discard the lemongrass pieces and transfer the stew to a serving bowl.
Worth knowing
- If you don't have belacan (shrimp paste) use 1 tsp fish sauce or a pinch more salt for umami; note this will keep the dish pescatarian but not shellfish‑free.
- Use firm, meaty fish that holds together (mackerel, tenggiri, sea bass); delicate fish will break up in the broth.
- If you want more heat, add 1–2 fresh chillies sliced and dropped in with the fish.
- Serve hot with steamed rice; the one‑pot stew keeps in the fridge 2–3 days and reheats gently on the stovetop.
Make it yours
Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.
PescatarianGluten-freeDairy-freeOne panMeal prep
More Malaysian cooking
An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Malaysian cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be pescatarian and gluten-free and dairy-free as listed.