Assam Belai Soup

Assam Belai Soup is a sourish and spicy soup somewhat similar to Assam Laksa Soup. However, in the former, usually the fish is cooked whole (i.e. it is not mashed up), the soup is lighter in colour and it is usually eaten with rice. However, I prefer to mash up the fish so that it can be eaten together with the soup. This is because from experience, my family will just drink the soup leaving the fish untouched.


Ingredients:

• 6 pieces of fish (I like to use ikan kembung)
• 3 litres water
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 1 big onion
• 1 bunch of kesum leaves (daun kesum)
• 1 torch ginger flower (bunga kantan)
• 4-5 pcs assam keping
• 3 tbsp ground sambal (See my post on Sambal under Condiments - 24 Feb 2018.)
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Remove the entrails from the fish and then wash the fish.

• Boil a pot of water (3 litres).

• When the water is boiling, add the fish and let it boil till the fish is cooked.

• Remove the fish from the pot and let it cool down.

• Smash the lemongrass and put them into the pot.

• Slice the onion and add to the pot.

• Add the kesum leaves together with the stalks to the pot.

• Quarter the torch ginger flower and add to the pot together with the stalk which must also be quartered.

• Add the assam keping and sambal to the pot.

• Let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes over low fire.

• While the soup is simmering, carefully remove all the bones from the fish. Use your thumb and pointer to test for the presence of any small bones. Once this is completed, mash up the fish meat and add to the soup.

• Let the soup boil for another 10 minutes.

• Add salt to taste.

• The soup is ready to be served - with rice or rice noodles.