This Assam Tamarind Fish is a gluten free version of a very popular dish in Malaysia. Mainly due to its mouth watering hot, spicy and sour taste. They usually make it with seafood like fish, prawns and calamari. Likewise, you can also use other types of fish to cook this dish. Such as mackerel, snapper, ling or pomfret (usually available in Asia). Besides, they use assorted kinds of vegetables like okra, tomatoes, eggplant and even capsicums. Like all well-liked cuisines, this assam fish dish also has quite a number of variations available.
Gluten Free Assam Tamarind Fish
For my gluten free assam tamarind fish recipe, I used ling fillets as my main ingredient. As well as vegetables like red and yellow capcicums plus okra. Besides, for my spice paste ingredients, I used garlic, French onion shallots and fresh red chillies. As well as kaffir lime leaves, fresh galangal, fresh ginger, fresh turmeric and fresh lemon grass. Together with tamarind paste, my assam tamarind fish recipe is aromatic and definitely a very tasty and addictive dish. With a mildly spicy, sweet and sour taste. My gluten free assam tamarind fish is not only gluten free. But also corn free, dairy free, nut free, egg free and low carb.
Assam tamarind Fish Paste Ingredients
Assam fish paste is a mixture of flavours, made from combining chillies, tamarind paste or tamarind puree. Alternatively, you can also use tamarind juice, a sour and naturally sweet ingredient. Plus kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, turmeric, galangal and ginger. These spices give this dish a pungent and fresh aroma. It is a very healthy dish with lots of vegetables and spices. In addition, they also do not add any coconut milk. Therefore making it comparatively low fat as contrast with many other varieties of curries. The sweet and tangy flavour of tamarind makes it one of the most widely consumed spice condiments. Commonly found located in most Southeast Asian pantry.
You may also like my other gluten free fish recipes:
- Fried Mackerel with Sambal (Sambal Ikan);
- Chinese Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger Shallot;
- Steamed Whole Fish with Shiitake Mushrooms & Goji Berries;
- Teochew Steamed Whole Fish;
- 5 Spice Salmon Lettuce Wraps (San Choy Bow);
- Spicy Salmon Cakes;
- Thai Salmon Fish Cakes;
- Homemade Fish Balls with Seaweed Soup;
- Thai Salmon Fish Cakes; and
- Fish Cakes with Rice Noodles.
Nutritional Values and Health Benefits of Tamarind
Tamarind is a much treasured product in the world due to its numerous nutritious elements that enhance its healthy influence. Likewise, tamarind is a good source of fiber, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B3 (niacin), iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. Its gluey pulp is an rich source of non-starch polysaccharides or dietary fiber. Tamarind also has polyphenols that make it both a potent antioxidant, as well as an anti-inflammatory agent.
On the whole, the health benefits of tamarind may include:
- Support bone and teeth health;
- Reduce risks of cancer;
- Help lower blood pressure;
- Decrease risks of cardiovascular diseases;
- Aid in weight loss; and
- Improve liver health.
Assam Tamarind Fish
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1.2 kg ling fillets cut into 3 inch pieces (or any other firm white fish)
- 12 okra also known as ladies fingers
- 1 large large yellow capsicum cut into 3 cm (1.2 inch) pieces
- 1 large large red capsicum cut into 3cm (1.2 inch) pieces
- 2 medium red tomatoes diced into 2cm (0.8 inch) pieces
- 1 large large brown onion diced into 2cm (0.8 inch) pieces
- 120 g tamarind paste or tamarind puree
- 2 tablespoons gluten free light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons stevia
- ½ cup water You can add additional ½ cup water if the sauce is too thick.
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
- steamed basmati rice to serve
For the spice paste:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 French onion shallots halved
- 6 long fresh red chillies deseeded and cut into 3 cm (1.2 inch) pieces
- 5 kaffir lime leaves stems removed and leaves finely sliced
- 3 cm fresh galangal peeled and finely sliced
- 2 cm fresh ginger peeled and finely sliced
- 2 cm fresh turmeric peeled and finely sliced or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 lemon grass white part only, finely sliced
Instructions
- Add the ingredients for the spice paste into a food processor and blend until you get a smooth paste. Alternatively, you can use a mortar and pestle if preferred.
- Heat up 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a wok and add the spice paste and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until aromatic on medium heat.
- Add the tomatoes, diced brown onion, tamarind pastet, gluten free soy sauce, stevia and ½ cup water to the wok and stir-fry for another 2 minutes on medium heat.
- Cook the ling fillets in the sauce in batches on low to medium heat for 2 minutes on each side or until fish is just cooked. Stirring the sauce frequently to ensure its not sticking at the bottom. Remove the fish and set aside.
- Add the okra to the wok and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Then add the yellow and red capsicums and cook for another 2 minutes or until all the vegetables are just cooked.
- Serve the ling fillets pieces on a plate together with the vegetables and sauce on top.
- Then serve together with steamed basmati rice and lemon wedges.
Recommended Products
