Asam Pedas Prawns

Asam pedas is a famous Peranakan recepi also known as Baba and Nyonya. Malacca is a historical state of melaka are home for asam pedas. It all comes to my mother's recipe which i believe, the best asam pedas i ever tasted.  U'll moticed the familiarity of the ingredients used in the recepi are a combo of Chinese and Malay and that's the beauty of Peranakan food. A mix of Malay and Chinese origin clan which inspired their food as well.

Asam pedas is a family favourite with it's spicy snd sour gravy. Particularly, it's my younger Dandelioins favourite. I tried asam pedas with fish and chicken before and this is my first take on prawns. Most of the ingredients can be found in local market ir Asian stores thus, there's no exxuse of not making this super delicious dish. The beautiful fragrance of gingertorch,lemon grass, lime leaves and Vietnamese mint are mind blogging.

Ingredients

500g prawns, deveined
1 large onion,sliced
2 tomatoes,sliced
2 stalks lemon grass,bruised
6-8 okra/ladies fingers
1 stalk bunga kantan/ginger torch,thinly sliced
2 sprigs daun kesum(Vietnamese mint)
3-4  cups water
5-6 tbsp vegetable/palm oil
1-2 tbsp palm sugar/brown sugar
2 pcs tamarind slice/asam keping
1 tbsp tamarind paste
3 pcs lime leaves
Salt to taste

For The Paste

4-6 dried chillles (soaked in warm water for 10-5 mins)
8-10 fresh red chillies
10-12 shallots
3 cloves garlic
2 inch fresh turmeric
1 inch galangal
1 tsp roasted shrimp paste

Methods

Heat oil in a pot over a medium heat. Saute the ground ingredients listed under "For The Paste" for 3-4 minutes or till fragrant.

Add water,lemon grass,ginger torch and Vietnamese mint. Stir. Add the onion,palm sugar,tamarind paste and season with salt. Stir well

Add the lady fingers. Cook for  7 minutes and add prawns. Cook for another 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving plate.

Serve hot with white rice.

Notes

• Adjust the sourness & spiciness according to your taste