How Many Calories in Asam Pedas?

Sour and spicy tamarind fish curry. No coconut milk, so it is one of the lighter lauk you can spoon over rice.

250kcal / 1 serving with fish

A serving of asam pedas with fish is around 250 calories (the lauk only, no rice). Because it is tamarind and chilli based with little to no coconut milk, it is one of the lighter Malaysian curries. The fish and the cooking oil are the main calorie sources.

Nutrition facts

Per 1 serving with fish (200g)	Amount	Per 100g
Calories	250 kcal	125 kcal
Protein	24 g	12 g
Carbs	9 g	5 g
Fat	13 g	7 g

Where the calories come from

Fish piece120g

150 kcal

Absorbed cooking oil8g

70 kcal

Tamarind chilli gravy + veg80g

30 kcal

The real talk

Asam pedas is a smart lauk choice bro. The gravy is built on tamarind and chilli, not coconut milk, so it skips the big fat hit that masak lemak and rendang carry. The sour kick also makes you feel like you are eating something rich when you are not. Most of the 250 calories is the fish itself, which is protein you want, plus a bit of frying oil that pools in the gravy.

Ikan pari and tenggiri are the classic cuts, pari being a touch leaner. Load up on the gravy and veg like okra and tomato and you get flavour and bulk for almost nothing. This is the kind of lauk you can eat regularly without guilt, just watch how much rice you drown in it.

Asam Pedas variants, ranked by calories

Variant	Calories	Notes
Gravy + veg only (no protein)	90 kcal	Just the kuah, okra and tomato
Asam pedas ikan pari	230 kcal	Stingray, leaner cut
Asam pedas ikan tenggiri	250 kcal	Mackerel, the classic
Asam pedas ayam	300 kcal	Chicken with skin, a bit richer

How to eat it lighter

Spoon plenty of the gravy and veg (okra, tomato) over your rice. They are nearly free.
Pick a leaner fish like pari, and skip the skin if it is a fatty cut.
Go easy on the rice. The lauk is light, the rice is where a meal balloons.

Common questions

How many calories in asam pedas?

About 250 calories for a serving with fish (the lauk only, no rice). It is one of the lighter Malaysian curries because it is tamarind and chilli based with little or no coconut milk.

Is asam pedas good for weight loss?

Yes, it is one of the better lauk choices. No coconut milk means low fat, and the fish gives you protein. Just watch the rice portion, since the lauk itself is light.

Which is leaner, ikan pari or tenggiri asam pedas?

Ikan pari (stingray) is slightly leaner at around 230 calories versus 250 for tenggiri. Both are light. The chicken version is a touch richer at around 300.

Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical hawker or kopitiam serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.

New to all this? Read how I went from 128kg to 86kg without cutting rice →