Sambal Prawns (Sambal Udang, 38g Protein)
Sambal udang is what I make when I want something that tastes like a hawker stall but still hits my protein target for the day. Each serving lands around 38 grams of protein from a generous half pound of prawns, at only about 320 calories. Prawns are one of the leanest high protein foods in any Asian kitchen, so they carry a rich, oily sambal without wrecking the macros.
The sauce is a proper Malaysian rempah, a chili paste you fry slowly until the oil splits and the raw edge disappears. It comes out spicy, tangy from tamarind, and just sweet enough. Serve it over rice, or with a pile of steamed vegetables if you are keeping carbs down.
Why this works
Two things make or break this dish. First, you have to fry the rempah low and slow. Most of the flavor comes from the chilies and shallots caramelizing in the oil, and if you rush it the sambal tastes harsh and raw. Watch for the oil pooling at the edges of the paste, that is your signal it is ready. Second, prawns cook in about three minutes. Add them at the very end, toss until they curl and turn opaque, then stop. Overcooked prawns go rubbery and lose that clean snap.
Ingredient notes
Prawns: use large or extra large, around 800g peeled weight for four people. Fresh or frozen both work, just thaw and pat them very dry so they sear instead of steam. Leave the tails on for looks, or take them off for easier meal prep.
Dried chilies: these give the sambal its deep red color and a mild smoky heat without blowing your head off. Soak them in hot water first. If you only have chili flakes, 2 to 3 tablespoons will stand in.
Belacan: Malaysian toasted shrimp paste, sold in blocks at most Asian grocers. Toast a small piece in a dry pan for 30 seconds until fragrant. No belacan? A tablespoon of fish sauce stirred in at the end gets you most of the way there.
Tamarind: the sour backbone of the sauce. Use tamarind paste or concentrate loosened with water. Lime juice added off the heat is a decent substitute.
Sambal Prawns (Sambal Udang)
Ingredients
Method
- Peel and devein the prawns if needed, then pat them very dry and set aside. Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 15 minutes and drain.
- Make the rempah: blend the soaked dried chilies, fresh chilies, shallots, garlic, and belacan with 2 tablespoons water into a coarse paste.
- Heat the oil in a wok or wide pan over medium heat. Add the chili paste and fry, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes until the oil separates at the edges and the raw smell is gone. Do not rush this step.
- Add the sliced onion and cook for 2 minutes until it softens.
- Stir in the tamarind water, sugar, and salt. Simmer for 1 minute so the flavors come together.
- Raise the heat to medium-high, add the prawns, and toss for 3 to 4 minutes until they curl and turn opaque. Do not overcook.
- Taste and adjust salt and sugar. Serve hot over rice or with steamed vegetables.
Tips and storage
The sambal itself keeps beautifully. Fry a double batch of the chili paste and refrigerate it for up to a week, or freeze it for two months. Then all you do on a weeknight is reheat the paste and drop in fresh prawns. Cooked sambal prawns keep in the fridge for two days, though the prawns firm up a little on reheating, so warm them gently.
If prawns are your go to protein, I have a few other fast ones worth bookmarking: this kung pao shrimp for a sweet and numbing Sichuan sauce, and a simpler chili garlic shrimp stir fry for busy nights. If you want the same sambal treatment on chicken, my ayam masak merah uses a very similar rempah base.
To round out the plate without piling on carbs, serve over cauliflower rice or with blanched long beans. A soft boiled egg on the side pushes the protein even higher.
