Sambal Udang (Prawns in Chilli Paste)
Sambal udang is a delicious Nyonya dish. Chilli paste is fried in oil till fragrant, then prawns are cooked in the aromatic paste. The gloriously red prawns nicely balance spicy, sour, sweet and savoury.
Sambal udang was the first recipe I tried from “Cooking for the President”.
How was the presidential recipe for prawns smothered in chilli paste?
It was excellent!
The ingredients were simple, the instructions were clear and easy to follow, and the results were darn tasty.
The simple dish was a winner. It’d have been way too oily if I had followed the instructions to a T but that was a small fault.
If you want to try just one recipe from “Cooking for the President”, sambal udang would be the one. It’s quick, easy and very, very good.
Sambal Udang (Prawns in Chilli Paste)
Sambal udang is absolutely delicious yet quick and easy. It's great for beginners because prawns don't overcook easily in chilli paste. The original recipe, from Cooking for the President, uses 180 ml oil. My adapted version reduces the amount to 80ml. That's plenty enough to give the dish a beautiful sheen.
Ingredients
- 25 g dried chillies
- 30 prawns about 1 kg
- 35 g tamarind paste
- 40 g red chillies
- 160 g shallots
- 20 g buah keras (candlenuts)
- 80 ml corn oil
- ⅔ tsp belachan powder toast and grind 3 g belachan into powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 cup cucumber or winged bean slices
Instructions
- Trim dried chillies. Soak in warm water till soft, about 30 minutes. Squeeze dry.25 g dried chillies
- Trim prawn legs and feelers. Devein. Rinse and drain. Dry with paper towels.30 prawns about 1 kg
- Soak tamarind paste in 1 cup (240 ml) water. Knead and discard seeds and pulp. Set tamarind water aside.35 g tamarind paste
- Trim red chillies and wash. Peel shallots and wash.40 g red chillies, 160 g shallots
- Cut dried chillies, red chillies, shallots and buah keras into small pieces. Grind till smooth. Fry in corn oil over medium-low to low heat till medium brown. Add belachan powder. Stir through. Add tamarind water made earlier, sugar, and salt. Simmer till thick and oil separates.20 g buah keras (candlenuts), 80 ml corn oil, ⅔ tsp belachan powder, 1 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp salt
- Add prawns to chilli paste. Heat till just cooked, stirring and turning as necessary to cook evenly.Medium-size prawns are cooked once they turn red. Big ones would need a few more seconds. Add a bit of water if the sauce thickens too much.
- Taste and if necessary adjust seasoning. Serve at room temperature with cucumber or winged beans on the side.1 cup cucumber or winged bean slices
