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Recently I bought a package of 5 frozen ginger torch (bunga kantan) and a pack of laksa leaves(daun kesum) from Asian market.I was so excited and told my mom that I bought a package of frozen bunga kantan for USD 5.99 and she said "what!! frozen not fresh ...huh?" and she continue to make this remark "if the bunga kantan was frozen not fresh we trash away already"! Well mom here is US and A not Asia or Malaysia,that you can just walk to your garden and harvest your own herbs. Beggar can't be choosy.Frozen is better than nothing at all right? Of course ,we can get almost everything in Asian market at NYC if money is not an object.Usually we use bunga kantan and daun kesum for Laksa or assam dishes.Well,I decided to cook Assam Ikan in these special herbs with my own homemade sambal belacan paste which I loves very much!!
Ingredients:
3 clean Boston Mackerel(fish) ,cut into 1/2 each
1 stalk bunga kantan (ginger torch) sliced thin on the bulbs only
2 sprigs daun kesum,washed
1 medium onion,peeled and cut
2 tomato,washed and cut quarter
3 kaffir lime leaves (daun lime purut)
4 tbsp sambal-belacan-paste ,more if you like spicy
2 tbsp tamarind powder, more if you like sourness
2 cups water
2 cubes ikan bilis(anchovies) or shrimp
sugar to taste
salt to taste
4 tbsp oil
Method:
1:Heat large skillet or wok with oil and sambal-belacan-paste at medium high heat. Then pour in the water ,tamarind powder and add in ikan bilis cubes.When the stock is rolling boil,add in daun kesum(laksa leaves) ,bunga kantan(ginger torch),kaffir lime leaves,onion and tomato for 3-5 minutes.
2:Lastly add in mackerel(ikan kembung) into the stock,cook for 1-2 minutes .Do not over cooked the fish.Check the seasoning.Add sugar and salt to your taste before remove from the heat.
3:Serve warm with rice.
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