Asam pedas means sour and spicy, and the Melaka version, built on tamarind, chilies and a spice paste, is a point of great pride in the old trading city an hour or so south of Sepang. Firm fish, often stingray or mackerel, is simmered in a thin, bright red gravy with okra, tomato and two fragrant herbs, daun kesum and torch ginger flower, that give it a perfume no other curry has. It is eaten with plenty of plain rice to soak up the gravy.

In Melaka they say a visit is not complete without it. For anyone who came to Sepang for the racing, it is the reason to keep driving south on Monday morning, and it takes less than an hour to make at home.

The spice paste

Ingredients

• 15 dried red chilies
• 6 shallots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh galangal
• 1 inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh turmeric
• 1 teaspoon belacan, toasted
• 2 stalks lemongrass

Method

1. Wrap the belacan in foil and toast in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 minutes per side.
2. Blend all the paste ingredients with 1/4 cup (60 ml) water until smooth.

The fish curry

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) firm fish steaks such as Spanish mackerel, kingfish or snapper
• 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp
• 3 cups (720 ml) water
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
• 8 okra
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 small bunch daun kesum
• 1 torch ginger flower
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Method

1. Soak the tamarind pulp in 1 cup (240 ml) warm water for 10 minutes, squeeze it with your fingers and strain, discarding seeds and fibers.
2. Heat the oil in the wide pan over medium heat. Add the spice paste and cook, stirring often, for 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Add the tamarind juice, the remaining 2 cups (480 ml) water, the daun kesum and torch ginger flower. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the salt and sugar.
4. Add the okra and simmer for 3 minutes. Slide in the fish and tomatoes, spoon the gravy over, and simmer gently, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not stir hard or the fish will break; shake the pan gently instead.
5. Taste the gravy. It should be sour first, then hot, with a little sweetness. Add salt, sugar or a splash more tamarind to balance.

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