Singgang fish is usually associated with food for new mothers but it is actually one of the most delicious Malay traditional dishes.. With just a few basic ingredients like belacan, tamarind, turmeric and onion , all you need to do is basically just boiling. Singgang cooked fish with hot white rice is indeed my family's favorite traditional dishes. There are various versions of this dish, depending on the location, where the ingredients used will be different. There are recipes that use lemongrass and some that do not, it is up to personal preference.
For this dish use fresh and unfrozen fish for best results. There is another version of singgang known as Serani singgang which is almost similar but the ingredients are sauteed. If you have never tasted Singgang style fish, I recommend you try. You will not regret it..
Ingredients
400g Fresh fish
5 shallots
4 cloves garlic
2cm ginger
2 cm galangal
2cm fresh turmeric
1 red chili
1/2 teaspoon belacan / shrimp paste
1 tablespoon of tamarind paste
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of seasoning powder (If you like)
Method
- Bring to a boil 250ml (2 cups) air. While the water is boiling, mix it 1 tablespoons belacan and 1 teaspoon of tamarind. Mash the belacan so that it blends well with tamarind. Avoid lumpy belacan / shrimp paste in the mixture.
- Add a little water to make it easier for the belacan and tamarind to dissolve.
- Stir gently so that it becomes a thin paste. Pour into the boiling water. Mix a little more water to dissolve the remaining belacan and tamarind.
- Add the red chili, shallots, fresh turmeric, galangal, ginger and garlic.
- Add 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoons of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder if you like.
- Add the Fish and turn up the heat.
- When it starts boiling, turn down the heat and simmer for 5-6 minutes more until the fish is cooked.
- Before serving, taste the broth and add sugar or salt to taste if necessary.
- Singgang fish is ready to be served with white rice.