Asam Prawn (Tamarind Prawn)

4.70 from 10 votes

Asam Prawn (Tamarind Prawn)

Try this easy and authentic Malaysian-Nyonya Asam Prawn (Tamarind Prawn) recipe. Succulent prawns in a tangy tamarind sauce make for a delicious and simple dish that captures the essence of Nyonya cooking. Best of all, it requires just 6 ingredients and takes only 15 minutes from prep to dinner table!

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Course: Prawn

Cuisine: Malaysian Recipes

Keyword: Asam Prawn, Assam Prawn, Tamarind Prawn

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

10 oz (280g) shell-on big prawns
2 tablespoons tamarind pulps
1/4 cup water 4 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 tablespoon sugar

Instructions

Rinse the prawns with water and pat them dry with paper towels. Trim the antennae and devein each prawn by making a shallow slit along the top.
Mix the tamarind pulp with 4 tablespoons of water. Extract the juice by pressing the pulp. Set it aside.
Add the tamarind juice, tamarind pulp, and salt to the prawns and mix well. Marinate for 10 minutes.
Heat a wok and add the cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, pan-fry the prawns until they are cooked through and slightly charred. Add the sugar and stir to combine well with the prawns. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Video

Notes

Some recipes call for dark soy sauce, but I prefer to skip it to avoid making the prawns too dark in color and less appealing in presentation.
You can remove the tamarind pulp before pan-frying the asam prawn, but I like to leave it in as it enhances the flavor. The tamarind pulp is edible and adds a delightful tang to the dish.

Nutrition