Despite the usage of curry, one of Singapore’s renowned signature dishes doesn’t originate from India. The fish head curry is an absolute delicacy that had its humble beginnings in an old colonial building in Mt. Sophia back in the ’50s as a brainchild of Indian immigrant M.J. Gomez. Basing his spicy concoction on the traditional South Indian fish curry recipe, his stewed red snapper heads proved to be a hit among his Chinese clientele and his recipe soon picked up across the nation and the causeway.
Today, the dish still remains as popular as ever among Singaporeans of all cultures who’ve come to savour the fish head’s moist, tender flesh with the rich, sour-spicy taste of its curry — usually accompanied with rice or soft buns.
But how exactly does one work through all initially disorienting jumble of cartilage, cheeks and eyeballs? We travel to one of Singapore’s most popular fish head curry purveyors Banana Leaf Apollo in Little India to learn the tips and tricks to get the most out of your meal.
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