NYONYA SAMBAL UDANG WITH BUAH PETAI

This is another version of Nyonya Sambal Udang which is slightly different from my earlier post. For this recipe by Pearly Kee, it is a simpler version and you can prepare this sambal either semi dry or with gravy.

I have chosen to cook it semi dry and added some stinky beans [buah petai]. It is aromatic, spicy and tasty. The prawns and petai are crunchy and well coated with the dry sambal.  

The cooking method is also different from the earlier recipe . It is very straight forward [Step 2] where all the spice paste is fried together with oil and prawns, yet the sambal tasted good and the prawns aren't overcooked. Yummy, yummy with rice or coconut cream rice [Nasi Lemak].

Recipe adapted A Nyonya Inheritance by Pearly Kee [slight modifications]

Ingredients

600 gm medium size prawns – shelled

5 tbsp oil

1.5 tbsp sugar

1-1.5 tsp salt to taste 

Ingredients for the Spice Paste

8 dried chillies – soaked and coarsely chopped

4 fresh red chillies – seeded and coarsely chopped

100 gm shallots – peeled and coarsely chopped

1 tbsp toasted shrimp paste [belacan]

3 candlenuts [buah keras] – coarsely chopped

1 tsp turmeric powder [optional]

For Semi-dry Dish

Juice from 2 limes

For More Gravy

1 tbsp tamarind pulp mixed with 200 ml water – squeezed to obtain the tamarind water. Discard the pulp

1. Grind the spice ingredients in a blender until fine and mix in the turmeric powder [if using]. Set aside.

2. In a non-stick wok, without any heat, put in the oil, spice paste, prawns and seasoning. Stir well. Turn on to high heat and keep stirring until the mixture becomes dry and aromatic [about 10 minutes]. Keep stirring to prevent the paste from being burnt. 

3. When the bubbles are smaller and the prawns turned white and firm, add in the stinky beans, lime juice or tamarind water. Stir to mix well and cook for another 3 minutes.

4. Taste to adjust seasoning. Dish up to serve.

In Pearly’s book, she has shared some tips on the use of this recipe to prepare the sambal with other ingredients.

Pearly’s Tips – This is a very versatile dish. Instead of prawns you can use 10 hard boiled eggs or 20 hard boiled quail eggs or 600 gm squid. Add in the eggs or squid at Step 4. Squid always tastes better slightly undercooked. When the tentacles start to curl, it is time to turn off the heat.

Note - I have used this portion of sambal paste to cook with  3 different ingredients, prawns/petai, eggs and squid [ 1/3 portion].

See Other Pearly Kee's Recipes below

Nyonya Mixed Vegetable Curry
Nyonya Hong Bak [Stewed Pork]
Nyonya Kari Kay [Curry Chicken]

I am submitting this post to Cook Your Books Event#27 - October 2015 hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours