Posted on 12th Jul 2025

Tamarind Prawns with Sambal Belacan (Udang Goreng Asam)

Experience the perfect balance of tangy, earthy, and smoky flavours in these prawns, paired with a fiery sambal belacan sauce.

Cuisine

Southeast Asian

Time

30 mins

Servings

3 people people

Ingredients

500g large whole tiger prawns, shell-on & heads-on
500ml vegetable oil
1 spring onion, sliced

Marinade

About 50g tamarind pulp (block)
100ml water
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
½ tsp ground white pepper

For the sambal belacan:

8 – 10 large red chillies, chopped
1 lime, juiced
1 – 2 tsp belacan paste, dry-toasted

Method

PREPARATION

Use a pair of scissors and cut down the length of the shell of the prawns. Remove the digestive tract and set aside.

Mix tamarind pulp with water in a small bowl.

Marinate the prawns by mixing prawns with the tamarind pulp mixture, rice wine, fish sauce, soy sauces, sugar and white pepper. Set aside for 10 mins.

In the meantime, make the sambal belacan – put ingredients into a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth. Set aside.

COOKING

To cook the prawns, heat up vegetable oil in a deep-sided pan or wok for deep-frying. Drain the prawns from the marinade, and carefully add into hot oil. Deep-fry for 20 – 30 secs, then remove from oil.

In a separate pan, heat about 3 tbsp oil and add prawns. Stir fry until fragrant, then add reserved marinade. Bring to the boil and cook for 1 – 2 mins. Remove from heat, garnish with spring onion and serve alongside sambal belacan.