Sambal udang geragau
Dried krill sambal that's distinctively different from the usual hae bee hiam.
With sambal, it is quite impossible to get bored.
There are so many varieties and ways of using chilli and belacan to get different blends.
Sambal udang geragau is a sambal that uses krill, more commonly known as geragau.
A colleague who went to Penang brought a bottle of this addictive spicy mix back. It is not readily available here.
Dried krill, which resembles shrimp, is different from dried prawn (hae bee). In Chinese, it is referred to as "xia pi".
You can get it from some shops that sell dry provisions. Not all shops have it though.
Dried krill often comes with sand and dirt particles. Give it a thorough rinse.
You can adjust the level of salt and sugar to suit your taste.
The fried shallots and fried krill lend a tasty crispy texture to the sambal.
Eat it on its own, or with rice, porridge, or even as a filling for bread. Use it as a topping for vegetables or fish.
It is distinctively different from the usual hae bee hiam made from dried prawn.
INGREDIENTS
- 120g dried krill (udang geragau kering)
- 120g shallots
- 3 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
- 3 chilli padi, sliced
- 1 tbsp of tamarind pulp
- 3 tbsp of water
- Cooking oil
FOR SPICE PASTE
- 150g dried chillies, deseeded
- 60g dried prawn
- 40g belacan powder
- 80g shallots
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 thumb-size piece turmeric
- 1 thumb-size piece galangal
- 3 kaffir lime leaves
- 2 lemon grass stalks, use 5cm of root end
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
METHOD
1. Rinse the dried krill, removing any grit. Place in colander or basket to dry.
2. Heat 6 tbsp of oil. Fry the dried krill until crisp. Place it on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
3. Fry the shredded kaffir lime leaves with the chilli padi and add this to the fried krill.
4. Heat 6 tbsp of oil. Fry the shallots until crisp. Place on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
5. Grind the ingredients for the spice paste together.
6. Soak the tamarind pulp in the 3 tbsp of water. Strain and discard the pulp, reserving the tamarind juice.
7. Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a wok or frying pan. Fry the spice paste over medium-low heat for 20 minutes and add the tamarind juice. Continue frying for about 10 minutes until the oil separates from the paste. (C)
8. Allow the krill, shallots and spice mixture to cool down to room temperature before mixing.
9. Store refrigerated in jars.
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