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Malaysian Tamarind Shrimp
Known as assam heh in Malaysia, this speedy stir-fry packs tons of umami, as well as salty, sour and fruity notes. Our version was inspired by one taught to us by Pearly Kee, proprietor of Penang Homecooking School and author of “A Nyonya Inheritance.” We favor peeled shrimp, but unpeeled work well, too, as the shells capture the sauce; they require just an extra minute or so in the pan. We replaced the kecap manis—a type of sweet soy sauce—with regular soy plus brown sugar to mimic its dark, caramel flavor. Look for tamarind sold as a dark, firm block packed in plastic; it might be labeled “wet” or “seedless,” but will require both hydrating and straining. Serve with coconut rice and spicy sambal.
4
Servings
Don’t pour the tamarind mixture directly onto the shrimp in the wok. Drizzle it down the sides of the pan. This quickly heats the mixture so it rapidly reduces to a thin, saucy glaze before the shrimp overcook.
50 minutes
20 minutes active
Ingredients
-
¼
cup tamarind pulp
-
½
cup boiling water
Directions
-
01In a small heatproof bowl, use a fork to break up and stir the tamarind pulp into the boiling water. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve over a liquid measuring cup; press on the solids and scrape the underside to collect the pulp that clings (you should have about ½ cup strained pulp).
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