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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.
I just told my friend I wanted to cook Assam fish for her yesterday. Most probably will use pomfret. ;p
ReplyDeleteWow, where did you find daun kesum? Was it in a Chinese supermarket? I am in Northern California - have yet to make that lucky find.
ReplyDeleteYikes! the bunga kantan is really ex over there. Can you plant it there? Been so long since I had assam fish. Yummmmmy!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi! I just wanted to say that I've recently discovered your blog and all the recipes you post remind me so much of home! Thank you!
ReplyDeletetigerfish:
ReplyDeleteI wish I'm your friend coz i can enjoy your assam fish without cooking myself:p oh!! love fresh pompret!! as you know the pompret here are frozen!!
high over happy:
did your area have Hong Kong supermarket? I bought mine in HK supermarket..I think if you find in Viet's owner asian market you can get daun kesum.Viet's love this herbs too.Good luck to you:)
petite nyonya:
Thanks!I wish I can plant exotic herbs here at my garden but too bad all my plants are going to die end of OCT or Nov coz the ground is too cold and frozen..maybe states like Florida or at the south can plant exotic herbs but not Northeast states..
Su Lin:
Thank you for dropping by.hope to see you again soon:) glad you like the recipe here.enjoy!
What is daun Kesum?Is it from banana tree??Sorry I don't know all these spices..:P
ReplyDeleteomg.... awesome website! where can u buy bunga kantan and daun kesum? i live in new jersey... tell me which supermarket... name and location... maybe phone number... thank you soooo much :)
ReplyDeletesunshine:
ReplyDeletedaun kesum is also called laksa leaves..the one I display on the top of this dish..we used it to cook Singapore curry laksa or sour spicy seafood to give extra kick!
Anon:
I think you ask the questions in another of my post,right? well if it's not you,look for my answer at above post comment..hope this help:)