Entree: Malaysia – Sarawak – Terung Dayak Soup (A Dayak-style clear sour and savory soup featuring small round wild eggplants and salted or fresh fish)
Serving Size: 4
Approximate Time
Prep
15 min
Cook
20 min
Total
35 min
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 4 shallots, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and tied (approx. 3 oz / 85 g)
- 1 inch (25 g) galangal, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp (5 g) turmeric powder or 1 inch (25 g) fresh turmeric, sliced
- 2–3 red chilies, sliced (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp (15 g) belacan (shrimp paste), toasted and mashed (optional)
- 8–10 terung Dayak or small round eggplants, about 1 lb (450 g) total, halved or quartered
- 10 oz (280 g) firm white fish fillets (such as mackerel, grouper, or snapper), cut into 1–2 inch pieces
- 4 cups (960 ml) water or light fish stock
- 1½ tbsp (22 g) tamarind paste dissolved in ½ cup (120 ml) warm water, strained (or 2–3 pieces asam keping)
- 1 tsp (5 g) palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt, adjust to taste
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fish sauce, or to taste
- 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh cilantro or daun kesum (Vietnamese coriander), chopped
- 1 lime, cut into wedges for serving
Instructions
1. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add sliced shallots and cook until translucent, about 2–3 minutes. Add crushed garlic, bruised lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, and sliced chilies; sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
2. If using belacan, add the toasted mashed belacan and stir for 30 seconds to bloom its aroma. Add the terung Dayak pieces and toss to coat with the aromatics.
3. Pour in the water or fish stock and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes, or until the eggplant begins to soften.
4. Stir the tamarind water (or asam keping) into the soup, add palm sugar and salt, and taste. Adjust sourness and seasoning; add fish sauce if more umami is desired.
5. Gently add the fish pieces and simmer for 4–5 minutes, until the fish is cooked through but still tender. Do not over-stir to keep the fish intact.
6. Remove from heat, discard lemongrass stalks and galangal slices if desired, stir in chopped cilantro or daun kesum, and serve hot with lime wedges on the side.
