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. 
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
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Pescatarian, Omnivore
Description
A fiery prawn sambal, bursting with flavor. This family recipe is a delicious celebration of Malaysian cuisine.
Ingredients
- 3 medium onions (3 medium onions) medium onions
- 4 cloves garlic (4 cloves garlic) cloves garlic
- 2 lemongrass stalks (2 lemongrass stalks) lemongrass stalks
- 2-5 Birds Eye chilies (2-5 Birds Eye chilies) Birds Eye chilies
- 1 tbsp belacan (fermented shrimp paste)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (2 tbsp vegetable oil) vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 lbs (500 g) raw, peeled prawns (shrimp)
- 1/3 cups (79 ml) water, just boiled
- 3 tbsp tamarind concentrate (3 tbsp tamarind concentrate) tamarind concentrate
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the Spice Paste
- In a food processor, combine the onions, garlic, lemongrass, and Birds Eye chilies. Process until finely diced.
- Cook the Spice Paste
- Heat a wok over high heat until smoking.
- Add the vegetable oil, heat for a few seconds until shimmering, then add the processed spice mixture and belacan. Fry over medium heat, stirring continuously, until fragrant and the mixture starts to ‘split’ (about 3-5 minutes).
- Add the Spices 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, ensuring the prawns are well coated with the spice mixture.
- Season and Cook Through
- Add the tamarind concentrate, sugar, salt, and light soy sauce. Continue stirring until the prawns are pink and cooked through (about 3-5 minutes).
- Serve
- Serve the Sambal Udang hot with steamed rice and fried Chinese vegetables.
Notes
- For a less intense heat, reduce the number of Birds Eye chilies.
- If belacan is unavailable, substitute with 1/2 teaspoon of shrimp powder and a pinch of fish sauce.
- Store leftover Sambal Udang in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir-Frying
- Cuisine: Malaysian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 150
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of prawns work best for sambal udang?
Shell-on prawns are traditional because the shells add flavor during cooking. Medium to large sized prawns hold up well to the bold sambal paste.
How spicy is sambal udang, and can I adjust the heat?
The heat depends on the type and amount of chili used in the sambal paste. Reduce the number of dried chilies or remove the seeds to bring the spice level down while keeping the flavor.
Can I make the sambal paste ahead of time?
Yes, the blended sambal paste stores well in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for a month. Having it ready makes the final dish come together in just minutes.
One early morning, 25 years ago, I arrived at Kuala Lumper via the night train from Singapore with a group of friends. My friend’s father picked us up from the train station, and when we arrived at his home, his grandmother had prepared a sumptious buffet of prawn noodles and other local favourites. She had spent the whole night doing this, sacrificing her sleep. 3 years later, another friend’s godmother, a kind Nyonya grandmother, prepared an amazing spread of Nyonya dishes, layed out beautifully on a long table. It took her three full days to prepare everything from scratch, with the help of her lovely Filipino domestic helper, whom she treated as a daughter. Your post brought back beautiful memories of these kind grandmothers, whose love for their families was extended to strangers such as me, through food.
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Hi Linda, I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to comment and let me know :)
Thanks Christina i had just tried the recipe it’s really nice and my husband. Love it
Hi Amanda, I’m sorry, I don’t remember the name of the belechan I use -only the packet (it is a bar). It’s one available at a lot of Adelaide Asian grocers so you should be able to find it.
Christine, what brand of belcehan do you recommend using.I live in Adelaide as well so if you point me the location that will be really helpfulThanks for sharing.Amanda
Hi Selaine
Thank you for sharing your recipe – I love the sound of it! And that Jasmine Fragrant Pandan rice sounds incredible, too
Best wishes
Christina
I’d like to express my sincerity thank you for sharing this recipe. It must be very delicious as I see the recipes. It’s my pleasure to suggest and it’s my personal opinion only from 10 years of cooking experience.If may suggest to mince garlic, Indian shallot, Bentong Ginger, minced lemongrass and eye bird chillies in a traditional way. When the oil starts simmer, add mince garlic, Indian Shallot, Bentong Ginger and cook till you may smell the aroma. Then, add lemongrass and eye bird chillies. Stir fry all the ingredients till aromatic, and add prawns and stir fry. After that, mix tamarind juice with a small teaspoon of brown sugar. Then, add altogether and cook about 10 minutes. Test the taste and finally sprinkle a bit of salt. Taste till you like it to be served. If I may suggest you may serve with “Jasmine Fragrant Pandan Rice.” You may cook Jasmine Fragrant Rice with mineral water, minced pandan leaves, minced Bentong Ginger, minced lemongrass, sprinkle salt, and Sarawakian white pepper. Thank you very much for your kindness.
So glad you liked it! :D
I did try this recepi and it was super my famil love it ,thank u for sharing ur grandma recepi
Its awesome. Juz love it. Will ask my mum to do it immediately..
Yes, you want a really smooth paste. A processer is ideal.
Hi, do i have to grind the onions, garlic, lemongrass and chilli together ?
thankyou so much for this recipe as my partner is Malaysian and he was so happy with the dish..
Glad you liked it! :D
TQ…..delicious yummy…wil try cooking immediately…email some home simple recipes, especially any dishes with sardine or spanish mackerel fish dishes…sambal dishes…my favourite.