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Shrimp Sambal
If there’s one dish I could eat every day with plain white rice, it’s probably sambal udang, or shrimp sambal—a popular Malay or Nyonya prawn dish that many people adore.
Made with sambal paste and flavored with belacan (Malaysian shrimp paste), the sauce of sambal udang is at its best when drizzled over a serving of steaming hot rice.
There are many variations of prawn sambal, but the basic ingredients are more or less the same. This version is our family’s sambal udang recipe, passed down to us from my late mother.
She would always add thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves to perfume the dish with their aroma. Every bite bursts with the briny flavor of the prawn, followed by the complex flavor of the fiery sambal, and ends with a citrusy note from the kaffir lime leaves. This recipe is absolutely scrumptious, and you have to try it.
What Is Sambal
Sambal is a spicy chili paste or spice paste commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisines, particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia. It’s the building block of Malay cuisine, the soul of numerous Malaysian and Indonesian recipes.
Made from a mixture of fresh and dried chili peppers, shrimp paste “belacan,” garlic, shallots, fish sauce (or salt), lime juice, sugar, and other ingredients, depending on regional variations. The most basic sambal paste consists of shallots, red chilies and belacan.
Sambal can range from mild to extremely hot, and it’s used as a condiment or flavoring spice paste in dishes like noodles, rice, soups, meats, and seafood. It adds a delicious kick and depth of flavor to many dishes.
Ingredients
Here is the list of ingredients for the best shrimp sambal you’ll ever make.
- Shrimp
- Belacan or Malaysian shrimp paste
- Kaffir lime leaves – the secret ingredient that elevate the taste and aroma to a new level. This is also what gives Beef Rendang and Thai Panang Curry their distinct flavors.
- Shallots
- Tamarind
Ingredients For Sambal Paste
- Dried red chilies
- Shalllots
- Belacan
How To Make Sambal Udang
Here is my sambal udang recipe, with pairs beautifully with nasi lemak, the national rice dish in Malaysia. Try it out and I am sure you will want it every day!
Step 1: Pound the spice paste using a mortar and pestle or grind with a food processor. Set aside.
Step 2: Heat up the cooking oil in a wok. Add the spice paste and stir-fry until aromatic.
Step 3: Add the prawn and continue to stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: 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.
Cooking Tips
- Quality Ingredients: Opt for fresh prawns and high quality ingredients such as tamarind and shrimp paste (belacan). The freshness of these ingredients will greatly impact the flavor of this dish.
- Balanced Spice Level: Adjust the amount of dried red chilies according to your spice tolerance level. Remember, it’s easier to add more heat later than to tone it down if it’s too spicy. In Malaysia, the dried red chilies are longer, compared to the ones sold in United States. So, it’s hard to precisely quantify the amount due to geographical differences.
- Proper Blending: Ensure that the sambal paste are finely blended to achieve a smooth texture and well-balanced flavor profile. The traditional way of pounding with a mortar and pestle is always the best. Proper blending is key to creating a harmonious blend of flavors in your sambal udang.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Calories Per Serving?
What To Serve With This Recipe
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please share your photo in the Comments section and consider giving it a 5-star rating. I can’t wait to see your creations! Want more easy and delicious recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Sambal Udang (Prawn Sambal)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1.3 lbs (600g) prawn/shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 3/4 cups water
- 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp, mixed with 1/2 cup water and strained
- 6 kaffir lime leaves, sliced thinly
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 teaspoons sugar or to taste
Spice Paste
- 10 dry red chilies, deseeded
- 10 shallots, peeled
- 30 g (1 oz) belacan
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
- Opt for fresh prawns and high quality ingredients such as tamarind and shrimp paste (belacan).
- The freshness of these ingredients will greatly impact the flavor of this dish.
- Adjust the amount of dried red chilies according to your spice tolerance level.
- Remember, it’s easier to add more heat later than to tone it down if it’s too spicy.
- In Malaysia, the dried red chilies are longer, compared to the ones sold in United States.
- So, it’s hard to precisely quantify the amount due to geographical differences.
- Ensure that the sambal paste are finely blended to achieve a smooth texture and well-balanced flavor profile.
- The traditional way of pounding with a mortar and pestle is always the best. Proper blending is key to creating a harmonious blend of flavors in your sambal udang.
Those dishes are also my late mother’s cook which my siblings miss so much. Thank you.
Can I substitute belachan with prawn paste?
Don’t substitute anything just follow the instructions.
Hi! I am just wondering if I could use your sambal belacan recipe to substitute the spice paste in this recipe? Thanks!
No, it’s different.
Those dishes are also my late mother’s cook which my siblings miss so much. Thank you.
How many does this serve?
3 people.
Thanks. Your shrimps looks so tempting!
This is my all time favourite! I remember a friend’s mom, who is Nyonya, cooked really yummy sambal udang!
I’ve never had prawn sambal before, but it looks delicious. Def going to have to give it a try this weekend. Try.
Your site is great. One of the best sites in this area.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOW
BIG LIKE
I love this sambal and have always wanted to know how to make it. Many thanks indeed Bee. I can eat this sambal with anything and EVERYTHING! :)))
Awesome thanks for trying my sambal recipe, and thanks for the 5 stars rating.