Sambal Udang Recipes

SAMBAL UDANG (PRAWN SAMBAL)

Steps:

• Pound the spice paste using a mortar and pestle or grind with a food processor. Set aside.
• Heat up the cooking oil in a wok. Add the spice paste and stir-fry until aromatic.
• Add the prawn and continue to stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes.
• Add in the water, tamarind juice and bring it to a quick boil. Add in the kaffir lime leaves, salt, and sugar. Dish out and serve immediately.

SAMBAL UDANG (PRAWN SAMBAL)

Steps:

• Blend all spice paste ingredients with ⅓ cup (80ml) water until smooth.
• Place asam jawa in a small metal strainer over a bowl. Pour 1 cup (240ml) hot water over asam jawa. Stir and press down asam jawa with a spoon to dissolve.
• In a medium sized pot, heat vegetable oil. Add ground spice paste and kaffir lime leaves. Stir fry for 8 to 10 minutes until fragrant.
• Pour strained tamarind juice into the pot. Stir to combine. Place lid on the pot and allow sauce to come to a boil. Reduce heat and continue to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove the lid. Add shrimps (prawns), sugar, and salt. Stir to get all ingredients well mixed.
• Place lid back onto the pot and continue to simmer for 3 minutes.
• Turn off stove. Dish into a serving bowl.

MY GRANDMOTHER'S SAMBAL UDANG (PRAWN SAMBAL)

Steps:

• Process onions, garlic, lemongrass and chilli until finely diced. Use 2 chillis for a mild-medium curry, 4 for a hot curry and 5 for an extra hot curry.
• Heat up a wok until smoking and then add oil. Heat for a few seconds until it starts to shimmer then add processed mixture and belcehan.
• Fry over a medium heat for a few minutes, stirring all the time, until fragrant and starting to 'split'.
• Add turmeric and fry for another minute, stirring briskly, and then add the prawns and ⅓ cup just boiled water.
• Stir to combine, coating the prawns with the mixture.
• Add tamarind, sugar, salt and soy and continue stirring, until prawns are pink and cooked through.
• Serve with steamed rice and fried Chinese vegetables.

SHRIMP AND POTATOES IN SAMBAL (SAMBAL GORENG KENTANG UDANG)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the potatoes on a sheet pan and toss with 2 tablespoons vegetable or other neutral oil. Roast until potatoes are golden brown and tender, tossing occasionally, about 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the bell peppers and chiles along with a pinch of salt. (The cooking chiles can irritate; you may want to turn on an exhaust fan or open a nearby window.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer peppers and chiles to a food processor and set aside.
• Put the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in the same pan and set over medium heat. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring often, until they turn a deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add shallots to the food processor along with the tomato; process into a smooth purée. Transfer the sambal purée back to the same pan, adding the sugar, lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the oil starts to separate and the sambal has thickened and turned a deep red, about 30 minutes.
• Stir the shrimp and cooked potatoes into the sambal; cover and cook until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately, or at room temperature with a side of rice. (Before serving, remove the lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves.)

SAMBAL TUMIS

Steps:

• Put the anchovies in a bowl of cold water and soak for 5 minutes. Put the dried chiles in a small pot, add water to cover and boil for 5 minutes or until chiles begin to soften. Drain the chiles, remove stems, slice open lengthwise and scrape out seeds. (Chile seeds can irritate the skin, so wear rubber or plastic gloves.) Remove and discard seeds from the Thai and red chiles and slice. Transfer all chiles to a food processor, pulse to blend and set aside.
• In a ramekin or small bowl, combine the belacan with 1 teaspoon water, mixing and adding more water as needed until there are no lumps. Drain the anchovies and add to the chiles in the food processor, along with the hydrated belacan, shallots, garlic, diced tomato and 1/3 cup of canola oil. Process into a smooth purée. (If the mixture still seems chunky, add more oil, a tablespoon at a time, and process until smooth.) In a separate ramekin or small bowl, mix tamarind paste with 2 teaspoons water until the paste is smooth and loose.
• Heat the remaining 1/3 cup of oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the sambal purée and lemongrass stalks; stir tamarind into the sambal until combined and add salt to taste. Cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until the oil begins to separate and the sambal has thickened and turned brownish-red.
• Add the sambal to dish of your liking, such as mee goreng, or serve with fried tempeh. (Once it's added to a dish, remove the lemongrass. If storing the sambal for later use, keep the lemongrass.) When stored in small containers, sambal tumis can last for up to one week in the refrigerator, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.