Curry Fish Head

Peel and slice the turmeric, and cut the white part of the lemongrass into small pieces — use 1 stalk if it's a big lemongrass, 2 if it's thin.

Pound the lemongrass and turmeric together in a mortar and pestle until they form a smooth paste.

Remove the seeds from the dried red chilies and soak them in warm water for about 10 minutes.

Drain the soaked chilies and pound them into a fine paste (about 20–25g, depending on how spicy you like it); refrigerate any leftover paste.

Peel the shallots, then pound the shallots and belacan (shrimp paste) together into a paste.

Mix the tamarind pulp with the water using your fingers to extract the juice; discard the pulp and seeds and reserve the tamarind juice.

Heat a pot over medium heat and add the oil.

Add the turmeric-lemongrass paste and sauté until fragrant.

Add the shallot-belacan paste and continue to stir-fry until aromatic.

Add the chili paste and stir-fry until the oil separates from the spice paste and it turns red.

Pour in the reserved tamarind juice, then add the water, and bring to a boil.

Add the laksa leaves (polyganum leaves) and okra, and simmer until the okra is half-cooked.

Add the fish head, cover the pot, and cook for a few minutes until the fish is just cooked through.

Season with salt and sugar to taste.

Garnish with sliced bunga kantan (torch ginger flower) and mint leaves, and serve immediately with steamed white rice.