Sambal Prawns

Having had too much food cooked in coconut milk the past few days, I had to abandon the idea of cooking nasi lemak this weekend. The prawns that had been sitting in the freezer have to be cooked anyhow lest they lose their freshness. Prawns are no less in cholesterol than coconut milk but it is a change from the creaminess and sweetness of bubur cha-cha. Asam prawns was the first choice but I thought sambal prawns would be more appetising. And indeed they were. Too much water was added but that has been adjusted in the recipe which should taste just right. I seldom eat prawns nowadays because I have developed a slight allergy to them. I hope this will not set off another scratching frenzy.
Sambal Prawns
Ingredients:
300g prawns, shelled and deveined
Paste
10 shallots
6 red chillies, remove seeds
4 cloves garlic
2 stalks lemon grass, finely sliced
1cm section turmeric
6 tbsp cooking oil
tamarind pulp
1 cup (250ml) hot water
2 tbsp sugar, or to taste
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
Steep tamarind pulp in hot water for 20 minutes and then strain to get the water only. Pound paste ingredients until fine. Heat oil in wok and fry paste ingredients until fragrant. Add strained tamarind water and bring to boil. Add sugar and salt. Add prawns and bring to boil again. Serve hot with rice.
Tags: sambal prawn recipe
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October 18th, 2004 at 21:44
wow! what a co-incidence. today i had sambal prawns for dinner. i love sambal prawns. (and i love anything with prawns) sambal prawns is indeed more appetising when eaten with rice… it’s the thick gravy that made the rice appetising.
peter, have you try making sambal udang before? it’s great for rice… and bread.
October 18th, 2004 at 22:25
Lucia,
No, I have not. I am not very fond of the smell of kaffir lime leaves in sambal udang.
October 19th, 2004 at 19:10
i’m damn hungry looking at that already…
wanna rush back home for dinner now
October 19th, 2004 at 23:49
Terry,
What was dinner?
October 20th, 2004 at 11:16
mmm, too bad it wasn’t sambal prawns….
but had McPignets, hahaha. something like mcnuggets, but pork, hahha. even better
October 21st, 2004 at 14:56
looks good..;) haha
October 21st, 2004 at 16:44
You’re making me hungry with all these delectable food photos!
October 21st, 2004 at 17:16
Terry,
You did not miss my sambal prawns that much after those pork cutlets, huh?
Dave,
Looks can be deceiving. After all, they say the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
Ariel,
I make myself hungry too. This is so silly.