Malaysian-Style Fish Head Curry with Okra and Aubergine

Mix the spice paste. Whisk the ground coriander, cumin, fennel, paprika, cayenne, turmeric and pepper with the 100ml water until smooth. Hydrating ground spices before frying them stops them scorching in the hot pan.

Brown the aubergine. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in the pan over medium-high heat and brown the aubergine for 2 minutes per side. It does not need to cook through at this stage. Searing gives it colour and a slightly smoky flavour; set it aside on the plate.

Temper the seeds. Turn the heat down to medium-low, add the remaining 2 tbsp oil with the mustard and fenugreek seeds, and cook for about 30 seconds until the mustard seeds pop. Keep an eye on the fenugreek, as it turns bitter if it goes dark. Blooming whole seeds in oil releases their aroma into the fat.

Build the base. Add the onion and cook for 6-7 minutes until soft, then the garlic and ginger for 1 minute and the tomatoes for 8-10 minutes until they break down. Stir in the spice paste and cook for 5 minutes until thick and the oil starts to separate at the edges. That separating oil is the sign the spices are properly cooked and no longer taste raw.

Simmer the fish heads. Add the curry leaves for 1 minute, then the tamarind, the 500ml water and the salt, scraping the base of the pan. Lay in the fish heads with the aubergine, okra and chillies, making sure the liquid reaches at least two-thirds of the way up the heads, topping up with a little water if needed. Bring to the boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, spooning sauce over now and then, until the flesh at the cheeks and collar is opaque, flakes from the bone and reads at least 63°C.

Cook the rice. Meanwhile, rinse the rice until the water runs clear, put it in the saucepan with the 450ml water and bring to the boil. Cover, cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes, then leave it to rest off the heat for 10 minutes. The rest lets moisture even out, so the grains are tender throughout.

Finish with coconut. Gently stir in the sugar and coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes, then taste. The coconut softens the tamarind's sourness and rounds out the heat. Serve with the rice and set out a bowl for the bones.