3.
Place everything for the asam paste, except the oil and fish sauce, into a blender and blend until very fine. You can chop up the vegetables into smaller chunks if you think your blender is not able to blend up the ingredients. Then set aside the spice paste
4.
Heat up the oil in a pan on medium heat and then add in the spice paste. Cook the spice paste until the colour has significantly darkened and the oil splits from it. Make sure to constantly stir it to prevent it from burning.
5.
Once finished, add in the fish sauce and set aside.
7.
Steam the fish in a steamer for 15 minutes. Take it out and pour away all the water that has leaked out and then place it back in the steamer without the heat on.
8.
Place 2 tablespoons of oil into a pan or a grill and heat on high until smoking hot. Add in the aubergineand cook until nice and charred and set aside.
9.
Heat another 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan on high heat and then add in the tomatoes and onions and cook until slightly charred
10.
In another bowl, add in the asam paste, water, salt, and tamarind water and mix well.
11.
Add the mixture to the pan and cook until desired consistency or at least until as thick as ketchup
12.
Add the asam sauce to the fish and serve together with the aubergine.
