This Triple Shrimp Sambal Recipe uses fresh Shrimp, and two Fermented Shrimp Pastes to produce a terrific cold side-dish for any Curry feast.
Sambal is a culinary term with two meanings. The primary meaning, which I have focused on in other posts, refers to a variety of South-East Asian spice blends, commonly based on Chili. The other usage means one of a selection of small side-dishes, generally served cold, which accompany a Curry Feast. These may be as simple as, say, chopped raw Bell Pepper tossed with flakes of Coconut, or can be quite complex. The dish above falls into the latter category and is called a Triple Shrimp Sambal because it uses fresh Raw Shrimp in a flavor base along with Yeo Brand Minced Prawns in Spices and my own Homemade Sambal Terasi, both of which use Fermented Shrimp.
Ingredient Notes
Above you can see a can of the Yeo Brand Minced Prawns with Spices called for in this recipe. It is one of my favorite condiments and has a terrific, and very strong fermented Shrimp flavor that works really well in many applications. I actually designed this whole recipe around that specific product and, as such, there really is no substitute.
As for the Sambal Terasi, this is added for a little fire and you can easily substitute for it with a simple chili paste, or any chili-based spice blend that suits your taste. Alternatively, you can omit it entirely.
The Method
First, mix the Prawns with the salt, sugar, and the hot chili paste (if using). Let this sit for at least 30 minutes or so.
When you are ready to cook, heat a pan over a high flame and add a tablespoon or so of oil. When the oil is just coming to the smoking point, add the prawns and quickly flash-fry until they turn pink. Remove from the pan and set aside.
If necessary, add enough oil to make a full tablespoon in the pan and then add the onion, red pepper and Jalapeno. Stir and toss just until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
Add the Minced Prawn condiment and as soon as it is hot and beginning to bubble, stir in the prawns. Stir for no a minute or so to finish cooking the prawns all the way through and then remove from the heat and allow to cool. You can serve once it has cooled to room temperature or, better still, allow to sit in the refrigerator overnight to meld the flavors. In that event, make sure you allow it to warm to room temperature before serving.
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Triple Shrimp Sambal Recipe
Ingredients
- 2/3 lb. medium prawns;
- 1 can Yeo Brand Minced Prawns with Spices;
- ½ cup sliced Onion;
- ¼ cup Red Bell Pepper diced;
- 1 large Jalapeno sliced;
- 1 tsp. Sugar;
- ½ tsp. Salt;
- 1 tsp. Sambal Terasi
Instructions
- First, mix the Prawns with the salt, sugar, and the Sambal Terasi, and let this sit for at least 30 minutes.
- Flash-fry the Shrimp in a little oil over high heat and remove from the pan.
- Stir-fry the Onion, Red Pepper and Jalapeno until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
- Add the Minced Prawn condiment and as soon as it is beginning to bubble, stir in the Shrimp.
- When the all is fully cooked through, allow to cool. Serve as a Side-dish at room temperature.