Some like it hot, some like it on the sweeter side and some like it with a hit of belacan.
Whatever the combination, sambal and prawns are destined to be a crowd pleaser. Every home has their own take but this dish almost always becomes the star of the table.
While each recipe adds its own special something, the common thread is that it is always made with love.
This particular recipe takes on the herbaceous, grassy note of galangal which makes it closer in flavour and aroma to Indonesian sambal bases.
It’s a quick win, taking just 20 minutes from stove to table.
Flavours and pairings
This dish is fragrant and spicy with an element of sweetness from the tender and juicy prawns.
The distinct aroma of kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass makes it all the more tantalising.
Serve straight off the heat with a bowl of steaming jasmine rice and Acar Jelatah (Pineapple Salad).
Ingredients
To blend:
- 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
- 3 dried chillies, soaked in hot water and deseeded
- 2 bird’s eye chillies, roughly chopped
- 2 thumb-sized pieces of galangal, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 stalk lemongrass, white base only
- ½ medium tomato
To cook:
- 200g prawns, deshelled
- ½ medium white onion, finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon gula Melaka / palm sugar (or brown sugar)
- 3 kaffir lime leaves / daun limau purut
- 1 stalk lemongrass, twist and tie the green top
Method
- Start with the sambal by blending the onion, dried chillies, bird’s eye chillies, galangal, garlic, lemongrass and tomato.
- Blend for five minutes, or until fine. If it needs a little help, add one or two tablespoons of water to bring everything together.
- In a wok or pan, heat three tablespoons of oil on a medium fire.
- Once the oil is ready, add the sambal paste, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass (green stalk), gula Melaka and one to two teaspoons of salt (or to taste).
- Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the oil begins to split. Be sure to keep an eye on the sambal, stirring throughout to ensure it doesn’t burn.
- The sambal should be a brighter orange-like red for this recipe. Once the sambal is cooked, add the sliced onion and cook for further two minutes.
- Finally, add the prawns, stirring each one gently to allow the sambal to coat every piece.
- Add a tablespoon of water to give the prawns a bit of moisture and help bind the sambal.
- Cook for no more than two to three minutes to allow the prawns to remain tender and juicy.
- Serve at once.
@theorangesieve serves up recipes from the heart, inspired by travels near and far. It’s all about food that humbly invites you to discover the truth about flavour, that is: the people, the culture and the stories behind them. The kind of food that leaves you with a smile for reasons you can’t quite put your finger on.