Grandma’s Sambal Udang – Malaysian Prawn Sambal

I do love a spicy seafood dish.

This recipe – Malaysian Sambal Udang (Prawn Sambal) – was created by my paternal Grandmother (my popo) and pieced together painstakingly by my cousin Carina. I’ve adapted it further, as the ingredients are a little different where I live, to recreate the taste I remembered.

I only have my memory to guide me as my grandmother passed away a few years ago. She was 93 when she died and had lived a long and full life, with mostly good health. She left behind four children, eight grandchildren, seven great-grand children, and a wealth of memories and recipes.

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My grandmother was an excellent and thoughtful cook. Every time we visited Malaysia we would be treated with a smorgasbord of our favorite foods – fried chicken, sambal hebi (dried shrimp sambal), fish head curry, Penang Asam laksa, pineapple fried rice, yong tofu (stuffed beancurd), water spinach fried with sambal belchan, and fried eggplants stuffed with minced prawn.

It was completely excessive but cooking was her way of demonstrating her love. It’s something my dad learned from her, and something I in turn picked up from my parents.

When I surprised them with this dish last week the look on their faces said it all.

“You’ve just gone to the top of the class,” my dad declared, as he hugged me.

“It’s just like I remember it,” smiled my mum.

Thanks, folks. That’s high praise indeed, but I’m just passing on the love.

How to Make Sambal Udang – Malaysian Prawn Sambal

1. Prepare the Spice Paste

• Chop and Blend: In a food processor, combine the onions, garlic, lemongrass, and Bird’s Eye chilies. Process until finely diced. Note: Use 2 chilies for mild-medium heat, 4 for hot, and 5 for extra hot.

2. Cook the Spice Paste

• Heat the Wok: Heat a wok over high heat until smoking.
• Add Oil and Paste: Add the vegetable oil, heat for a few seconds until shimmering, then add the processed spice mixture and belacan.
• Fry the Paste: Fry over medium heat, stirring continuously, until fragrant and the mixture starts to ‘split’ (about 3-5 minutes).

3. Add the Spices and Prawns

• Turmeric and Prawns: Add the ground turmeric and fry for another minute, stirring briskly. Then, add the prawns and the 1/3 cup of just boiled water.
• Stir to Combine: Stir to combine, ensuring the prawns are well coated with the spice mixture.

4. Season and Cook Through

• Add Seasonings: Add the tamarind concentrate, sugar, salt, and light soy sauce. Continue stirring until the prawns are pink and cooked through (about 3-5 minutes).

5. Serve

• Plate and Serve: Serve the Sambal Udang hot with steamed rice and fried Chinese vegetables.

Recipe Notes

• Belacan Substitute: If you cannot find belacan, you can substitute with a small amount of fish sauce or anchovy paste.
• Tamarind Concentrate: Available in Asian grocery stores; if unavailable, you can substitute with lemon juice mixed with a little sugar.
• Bird’s Eye Chilies: Adjust the amount to your heat preference.
• Wok Substitute: If you don’t have a wok, use a large frying pan.

My Grandmother’s Sambal Udang – Malaysian Prawn Sambal

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4.7 from 21 reviews

• Author: Christina Soong-Kroeger
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

A treasured secret family recipe, recreated with love by the next generation. This fiery and vibrant prawn sambal is a delicious celebration of a Malaysian grandmother.

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Ingredients

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• 3 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, roughly chopped
• 2–5 Bird’s Eye chilies
• 1 tbsp belacan (fermented shrimp paste)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 500 grams (18 ounces) raw, peeled prawns (shrimp)
• 1/3 cup water, just boiled
• 3 tbsp tamarind concentrate
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp light soy sauce

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Spice Paste

• Chop and Blend: In a food processor, combine the onions, garlic, lemongrass, and Bird’s Eye chilies. Process until finely diced. Note: Use 2 chilies for mild-medium heat, 4 for hot, and 5 for extra hot.

2. Cook the Spice Paste

• Heat the Wok: Heat a wok over high heat until smoking.
• Add Oil and Paste: Add the vegetable oil, heat for a few seconds until shimmering, then add the processed spice mixture and belacan.
• Fry the Paste: Fry over medium heat, stirring continuously, until fragrant and the mixture starts to ‘split’ (about 3-5 minutes).

3. Add the Spices and Prawns

• Turmeric and Prawns: Add the ground turmeric and fry for another minute, stirring briskly. Then, add the prawns and the 1/3 cup of just boiled water.
• Stir to Combine: Stir to combine, ensuring the prawns are well coated with the spice mixture.

4. Season and Cook Through

• Add Seasonings: Add the tamarind concentrate, sugar, salt, and light soy sauce. Continue stirring until the prawns are pink and cooked through (about 3-5 minutes).

5. Serve

• Plate and Serve: Serve the Sambal Udang hot with steamed rice and fried Chinese vegetables.

Notes

• Belacan Substitute: If you cannot find belacan, you can substitute with a small amount of fish sauce or anchovy paste.
• Tamarind Concentrate: Available in Asian grocery stores; if unavailable, you can substitute with lemon juice mixed with a little sugar.
• Bird’s Eye Chilies: Adjust the amount to your heat preference.
• Wok Substitute: If you don’t have a wok, use a large frying pan.

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Stir Frying
• Cuisine: Malaysian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 200g
• Calories: 220
• Sugar: 6g
• Sodium: 540mg
• Fat: 14g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 10g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 15g
• Cholesterol: 110mg