Some dishes have a way of making you feel like a kid all over again, and this recipe for Mak’s special stir-fried asam prawns is no exception.

With just a few fresh ingredients, you will end up with a delicious seafood dish that’s packed with flavour, rich with aroma, and finger-licking good.

Ingredients

• 1 kg large or medium-sized prawns, shells on and heads removed
• 2 tablespoons turmeric powder
• 3 large red onions, sliced thinly
• 2 stalks curry leaves
• 1 tablespoon chilli powder
• 1 large fresh tomato, chopped into 2.5cm pieces
• 3 tablespoons thick tamarind (asam jawa) juice
• 1 tablespoon gula Melaka granules
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil

Method

• Trim, clean, and coat the prawns in the turmeric powder. Set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil until smoking hot. Fry the prawns, taking care not to overcrowd the pan, for 3 minutes until the shells change colour and the turmeric is browned. Set the prawns aside.
• Add the remainder of the oil while the pan is still hot. Add the curry leaves with stalks.
• Once it sizzles and the leaves have separated, remove the stalks, then add the onions and chilli powder.
• Fry until the onions and chilli powder have caramelised.
• Now add the tomato, tamarind juice, and gula Melaka. Allow to simmer.
• Finally, return the prawns to the pan and stir-fry until the mixture reaches a dry consistency.
• Season with salt and pepper, dish out, serve and enjoy with a plate of fragrant steamed rice.

This article first appeared in butterkicap.com, a food and culture platform and community that enables anyone to experience Malaysia through stories of its people, food and places.