Thick and spicy, the heat of this fish head soup with coconut cream comes from garlic, ginger and chilies.
Connie’s Notes
In Southeast Asia, many soup dishes are main course dishes. This class of soups contain not only flavorful broth but protein (meat, poultry or seafood) and vegetables. These main course soups, including this one, are served with rice.
Dishes that combine fish, coconut milk and chilies is ubiquitous in Southeast Asia. The spices may vary, so may the part of the fish used, but, essentially it’s still fish in coconut milk.
But this is fish soup with coconut cream — not milk. Can coconut milk and cream be used interchangeably? Not really. But although you may substitute coconut milk to make this soup, you’ll get a thinner broth. If you prefer a soup that’s thick and creamy — almost like a chowder — stick with coconut cream.
If you want the chilies to bite but not scorch, slit them open lengthwise, scrape off and discard the seeds and pith (yes, that’s where the heat is concentrated).
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 fish heads - (I used trevally but salmon head should be even better) about 500 grams (1.1 pounds) total weight
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots
- 1 one-inch piece ginger
- 3 to 4 finger chilies
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- fish sauce to taste
- 2 cups coconut cream
- sliced scallions to garnish
Instructions
- Clean the fish heads; remove the gills (you can ask the fish monger to do this for you). If the heads are rather large, you can chop them into halves.
- Crush, peel and finely mince the garlic (it’s easier to peel garlic after crushing the cloves first).
- Peel and thinly slice the shallots.
- Peel and grate the ginger.
- Heat the cooking oil in a pot that should be wide enough to hold the fish heads in a single layer to ensure even cooking.
- Add the garlic, shallots, ginger and chilies. Cook until fragrant (about a minute over medium heat).
- Add the fish heads in a single layer.
- Pour in about a cup of water, season with fish sauce or salt then bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes (longer if they are rather large). The water need not cover the fish heads — the heat from the steam is enough to cook them.
- Turn up the heat to medium and pour in the coconut cream.
- Bring to a gentle boil. Continue cooking the fish, uncovered, for a few minutes.
- Taste the soup and stir in more fish sauce, if necessary.
- With a large spoon or spatula, lift the cooked fish heads and transfer to individual soup bowls.
- Pour the broth and spices over them and garnish with sliced scallions.
