Perut Ikan Recipe (Nyonya Pickled Fish Stomach Curry)

March 13, 2007

Perut Ikan / Nyonya Fermented Fish Stomach Curry

Perut ikan—literally means fish stomach—is a signature Nyonya specialty that I love very much. The thought of it often sets my stomach rumbling and mouth watering. As unappetizing as it sounds and perhaps a tad weird to many, Perut ikan is a curry-like dish of various vegetables, aromatic herbs, and fermented fish stomach in the bath of rich, savory, sweet, sour, and spicy goodness. My pictures do no justice to this wonderful dish.

During my recent trip home to Penang, I learned the preparation of perut ikan and other Nyonya delicacies from my aunt. (My aunt's perut ikan is the best; you just can't get the same quality at Nyonya restaurants.) For once, I was the chef in her kitchen, cooking up a storm while she patiently narrated the step-by-step of making Nyonya dishes.

Perut Ikan / Nyonya Fermented Fish Stomach Curry - Saute the spice paste and add in pineapples, green beans, and eggplants

“Tumis (sauté) your spice paste until fragrant and add in the fermented fish stomach. This is a very important step as it rids the fishy smell from the fish stomach…that’s why coriander seeds are a must in the spice paste, without them, it’s not perut ikan…”

“Ok ok…”

“Now, add in some water and bring it to boil before you toss in the pineapples, green beans, and eggplants…”

“What about these daun kaduk (leaves) and aromatic leaves, can I add them in now?”

Perut Ikan / Nyonya Fermented Fish Stomach Curry - Add in coconut milk and all the aromatic leaves

“No. You have to wait. You need to imbue the curry with the sourness of the pineapples first. Add those aromatic leaves towards the end or they will turn too mushy. It’s about balancing the taste and the texture of the ingredients…and don’t forget the santan (coconut milk).”

I was enlightened and nodded my head in agreement.

And so I listened carefully. I memorized. I learned.

Nyonya cooking is not to be taken lightly; a misstep in the cooking process or mishandling of the ingredients will render the dish unsuccessful.

No longer was I the child standing beside my aunt who watched curiously as she was cooking her dishes. Over the years, my aunt has aged physically but her skills in making Nyonya food has only gotten better. And now, I must be taught and become skilled at all these nostalgic foods of my childhood...

Excerpt from Wikipedia:

Nyonya food is the food of Peranakan people of Malaysia and Singapore. It uses mainly Chinese ingredients but blends them with Southeast Asian spices such as coconut milk, lemon grass, turmeric, screwpine leaves, chillies and sambal. It can be considered as a blend of Chinese and Malay cooking.

Recipe: Perut Ikan (Nyonya Preserved Fish Stomach with Herbs and Vegetables Curry)

Ingredients:

Spice paste
1 stalk lemongrass
6 shallots
8 dried red chilies
3 slices of galangal
1 inch of turmeric
1 tablespoon of roasted belacan
3 tablespoons of coriander seeds

6 pieces of fermented fish stomach
10 green beans (cut into 2 inches length)
1 egg plant (cut into small wedges)
1 small ripe pineapple (cut into 2 inches sticks)
1/2 lb small shrimp
5 chilies (slit and cut into 2 inches length)
1 ginger flower (sliced finely)
10 kaffir lime leaves (sliced finely)
30 daun kadok leaves (sliced finely)
20 sprigs polygonum leaves (use only the leaves)
20 sprigs of mint leaves (use only the leaves)
1 cup coconut milk

Tamarind Juice

Mix tamarind pulp (about the size of a small ping pong ball) with warm water, soak for 15 minutes and extract the juice.

Blend the spice paste with the a food processor, set aside. Heat up some oil in the wok and sauté the spice paste until fragrant. Add in the pickled fish stomach pieces and stir well with the spice paste. Add in 5 cups of water and bring it to boil and toss in the long beans, pineapples, egg plant, ginger flower, and red chilies. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add in the coconut milk, small shrimp and the herbs and simmer for another 15 minutes. Add salt to taste. Serve hot.

Labels: Malaysian Food, Malaysian Food Recipes, Nyonya Food