Sambal prawns

Sambal udang lives or dies on the tumis, the slow frying of the spice paste. Ten to fifteen minutes of patient stirring takes the paste from raw and bright red to dark, deep and glossy, with the oil separating out at the edges. That step is where the flavour comes from and it cannot be rushed.

Make a double batch of paste while you are at it. It freezes for months and turns this into a twenty minute dinner next time.

Spice paste

• 10 to 12 dried red chillies
• 10 shallots, peeled
• 3 cloves garlic
• 30 g belacan, toasted in a dry pan until fragrant
• Optional: 1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, sliced

Sambal

• 500 g PhycoNor red legged shrimp, shell on or peeled with tails on
• 4 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 tbsp tamarind pulp soaked in 1/2 cup warm water, squeezed and strained
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 to 6 makrut lime leaves, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp sugar, gula melaka if you have it
• 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
• Optional: 1 small onion sliced into rings, or a handful of petai beans

1. Soak the chillies. Snip the dried chillies into sections, shake out the seeds and soak in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes until soft. Drain.
2. Make the paste. Blend the soaked chillies, shallots, garlic, toasted belacan and lemongrass with 2 to 3 tbsp water until smooth. A mortar and pestle gives a better texture if you have the patience for it.
3. Tumis the paste. Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat, add the paste and fry, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes. It will darken and the oil will separate out at the edges. Lower the heat if it catches. Do not cut this step short.
4. Add the shrimp. Turn the heat to medium high, add the shrimp and the onion if using, and stir fry for 2 minutes until the shells start to turn orange.
5. Add the liquids. Pour in the tamarind water and the plain water, add the sugar and salt and bring to a quick boil. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp are cooked and the sauce has thickened and turned glossy. Add petai now if using.
6. Finish. Stir in the sliced lime leaves, then taste and adjust. It should be spicy and savoury, with a little sour and a little sweet behind it. Serve with steamed rice or nasi lemak.

• Shell on gives the most flavour. Peeled with tails on is easier to eat and lets the sambal coat the flesh directly. Both are correct.
• Pat the shrimp dry after thawing so the sambal clings rather than slides off.
• The finished dish keeps 3 days in the fridge. The paste on its own freezes for months.