Sambal udang (Malaysian chilli prawns)

Name: Sambal udang (Malaysian chilli prawns)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Malaysia
Ingredients: 600 g Large raw prawns, peeled; 15 Dried red chillies; 6 Shallots; 3 cloves garlic; 1 tsp Shrimp paste (belacan); 2 tbsp Tamarind paste; 1 tbsp Palm or brown sugar; 1 Onion; 5 tbsp Vegetable oil; Cucumber, sliced (to taste); Salt (to taste)

A Malaysian home classic: prawns cooked in a sweet, sour and fiery sambal of dried chillies, shallots and tamarind.

40 min20 prep · 20 cook
MediumDifficulty
300 kcalper serving

Ingredients

4 servings

Large raw prawns, peeled600 g
Dried red chillies15
Shallots6
garlic3 cloves
Shrimp paste (belacan)1 tsp
Tamarind paste2 tbsp
Palm or brown sugar1 tbsp
Onion1
Vegetable oil5 tbsp
Cucumber, slicedto taste
Saltto taste

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Steps

1
Soak the dried chillies in hot water, then drain and blend with the shallots, garlic and shrimp paste to a smooth paste.
2
Fry the paste in the oil over medium-low heat, stirring, until dark red and the oil separates.
3
Add the sliced onion and cook until just soft.
4
Stir in the tamarind, sugar and a splash of water and season with salt.
5
Add the prawns and cook, tossing, until pink and coated in the sambal.
6
Serve with steamed or coconut rice and slices of cucumber.

Tips and questions

How do I make it less spicy?: Remove the seeds from the dried chillies before soaking, or use mild ones such as Kashmiri chillies.
Can I make the sambal in advance?: Yes. The cooked paste keeps a week in the fridge or 3 months frozen; then the dish takes 10 minutes.
Why fry the paste for so long?: Until the oil separates, the raw shallot and chilli taste harsh. Patient frying makes it sweet and deep.

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Sambal udang (Malaysian chilli prawns)

Ingredients

Steps

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