Recipe: prawns in rich coconut sauce (sambal goreng udang) by Sri Owen
A 'fundamental' Southeast Asian dish best served with rice
Prawns in coconut sauce are popular all over Indonesia and Malaysia, said Sri Owen. Like beef rendang, it is one of those fundamental Southeast Asian dishes whose flavours, textures and colours all complement each other precisely. Naturally, the dish should be served with rice, and perhaps stir-fried vegetables or a salad.
Ingredients: for 6-8 people
- 5cm lemongrass
- 2 lime leaves
- 425ml hot water
- 2 ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
- 115g creamed coconut, chopped
- 1kg frozen king prawns, completely thawed
For the paste
- 3 shallots or 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove 5cm ginger, peeled and sliced
- 3 large red chillies, deseeded and chopped
- 1 tsp crumbled shrimp paste (optional)
- 2 candlenuts (or macadamia nuts or blanched almonds), chopped (optional)
Method
- Tip: in London, I make this with frozen king prawns from the supermarket that come peeled, de-veined and partly pre-cooked. This cuts out a lot of preparation, and the prawns are excellent provided they are thoroughly thawed before being quickly cooked, and not reheated thereafter.
- Blend all the ingredients for the paste with 2 tablespoons of water until smooth.
- Scrape the paste into a saucepan, bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Add the lemongrass, lime leaves and hot water, then bring back to the boil and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Now, add the tomatoes and creamed coconut, stirring to dissolve the coconut. Simmer and stir for 2 minutes, then taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. (This sauce can be made up to 24 hours in advance. It can be kept in the fridge, but can't be frozen.)
- When you are ready to cook the prawns, bring the sauce to a rolling boil, give it all a good stir and put in the prawns. Simmer the prawns for 4 minutes only – any longer and they will become tough and tasteless. Discard the lemongrass and lime leaves, then serve immediately.
Recipe from "The Rice Book: History, Culture, Recipes" by Sri Owen, published by Bloomsbury at £30. Photography by Yuki Sugiura. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £23.99 (incl. p&p), call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for The Week's Food & Drink newsletter for recipes, reviews and recommendations.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
'In Ukraine, sadly, promises are hard to keep'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - December 1, 2023
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - the undecided voter, Kissinger's last stand, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 25 - 1 December
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Properties of the week: stunning houses for winter sun
The Week Recommends Featuring a beachfront cottage in Grand Cayman and a villa in Costa Rica with sea and jungle views
By The Week UK Last updated
-
Blavatnik Galleries review: how art is war's 'most truthful witness'
The Week Recommends New space displays some of the Imperial War Museum's finest art, film and photography
By The Week UK Last updated
-
Christmas 2023: best stocking fillers and Secret Santa gifts
The Week Recommends The wish list includes boozy crackers, slippers, bath treats, socks and chocs
By The Week UK Published
-
6 welcoming homes great for family gatherings
Feature Featuring a home with 13 fireplaces in Maine and a home with heated brick floors in New Mexico
By The Week US Published
-
Christmas 2023: best food and drink hampers
The Week Recommends Everything you need for a festive feast – from the turkey and trimmings to the dessert, cheese and wine
By The Week UK Published
-
Christmas 2023: best alcohol gift sets and festive drinks
The Week Recommends Boozy presents, seasonal bottles and unique items for your home bar
By The Week UK Published
-
Christmas 2023: best technology gifts, gadgets and home products
The Week Recommends Top tech presents, unique gizmos and funky things for the house
By The Week UK Published
-
Christmas 2023: best jewellery gifts for her and him
The Week Recommends Sparkling jewellery presents including gem-set flowers and candy-like cufflinks
By Alexandra Zagalsky Published