Asam Pedas | Traditional Fish Dish From Malacca

 by: Nur Syairah

Asam Pedas

“Asam Pedas” means ‘Sour Spicy’. Asam Pedas is a wonderfully simple name, the two words meaning just ‘sour,’ and ‘spicy.’ The sourness traditionally comes from sour tamarind (boiled until soft, and then squeezed to make juice), and spicy, of course, the from use of fresh chili peppers.

Two simple ingredients as a base for an entire world of flavor possibilities. The version of Asam Pedas we had today, in English I would call something like a sour curry chili soup. The most common way I notice locals like to have this food is a plate of white rice, the soup containing some type of saltwater fish, and a side dish of fresh herbs with a mash of chili dip (sambal belecan, similar to Thai nam prik kapi)

In Malaysia this recipe originates in villages along the South East coastal region (including Melaka), and one of the best restaurants to have Asam Pedas is right near Melaka’s downtown area. The restaurant’s name is ‘Asam Pedas Pak Man.