Assam Prawn (method 2)

Assam Prawn

Following method 1, I finally remembered the original version how it was cooked.  And of course, this one tastes deliciously yummy.

Serving: 2-3 persons
Preparation: 10 minutes
Marination time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:
400g big prawn
4 cloves garlic - minced
50-75g tamarind paste
150ml water
1 ladle of oil - for deep frying
2 tbsp light soy sauce
sugar to taste

Method:
Trim the prawns' attenna, walking & swimming legs. Leave the head and shell intact. Put it in a medium or big bowl.

In a small bowl, mix the tamarind paste in 150 ml water. Extract tamarind juice (you may have to get your hands dirty here). Strain the tamarind juice onto the prawn for marination.  Leave aside for 20-30 minutes

Heat oil in wok.  When it is hot, add 3-4 prawns for deep-frying.  When the shell is almost red, flip the prawn to deep-fry the other side.  Make sure the prawn is cook without burning it.  Drain & leave aside.  Deep-fry the rest of the prawn in batches.

With some left over oil (about 1 tbsp), sauteed the garlic.  When it is almost golden brown, pour in the light soy sauce and quickly, the tamarind juice gradually.  (You don't have to use the whole tamarind juice).  Lower the fire.  Sugar to taste.

Pour in the fried prawn and stir-fry it until the tamarind gravy "coat" the prawn.  The assam prawn is ready to be served.

As usual, do not deshell the prawn right away.  Enjoy the tamarind coated fried prawn before you deshell it.   Bon apetit!

Note:
Prawn
Do not deep fried the prawn at one go.  By deep-frying 2-3 or 3-4 prawns, you will get a crispy shell texture (and not flesh that stick to the shell).  After deep-frying, the shell is slightly red color with burnt (e.g. grill or bbq effect).

Oil
If the initial oil for frying isn't enough after few batches of frying, you can add a little bit more.
After frying, if too much oil in excess, please discard it but leave enough to sauteed the garlic.  Note that, the deep fried prawn also have oil.

Taste
Balance the sweet & sour.  Only then you adjust whether you want it to be much sweeter or sour.

Marination
If the tamarind juice is not enough to cover the prawn, you can either add in more water or alternate stir the prawn so it marinades well.

Gravy
Depending how much gravy you want, it is not necessary to pour in everything. Otherwise, the gravy is too much and if you can't finish it, it is wasting. Alternative, you can pour the extra gravy onto a small bowl for dipping purposes.
If it is not enough, then you can add in water; gradually.

Assam Prawn (method 1)

Assam Prawn

This is my all time favorite dish since young.  This recipe has been tattooed in my brain when mom orally share  with me.  It is quite addictive!  Even hubby can't stop "nibble" on it.  To my friends who have enjoyed this dish, here is the recipe.

Serving: 2-3 persons
Preparation: 10 minutes
Marination time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 5-10 minutes
Average total time: 30 minutes




Ingredients:
300g big prawns
1-2 tbsp tamarind paste
1 pod garlic - minced
100 ml water
3 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt
sugar to taste

Garnishing:
spring onion (optional)

Method:
1.  Trim the prawns' attenna, walking & swimming legs.  Leave the head and shell intact.  Put it in a medium or big bowl.
2.  In a small bowl, mix the 1-2 tbsp of tamarind paste in 100 ml water.  Extract tamarind juice (you may have to get your hands dirty here).  Strain the tamarind juice onto the prawn for marination.
3.  Mix 1/2 pod of minced garlic into the marination.  Leave aside.
4.  Strain the tamarind juice into the small bowl earlier.  In another word, separate the prawns from the juice.
5.  In a wok, heat the oil.  When it is hot enough (you can see stim), sauteed the garlic until almost brown.
6.  Pour in the tamarind juice gradually (see note below).  When it boils, add prawn & salt.  Lower the fire, and sugar to taste
7.  When the prawn is cooked, sugar to taste (see note below) and serve it in a plate garnished with spring onion.

The art of eating this dish is suck all the gravy/ juices from the prawn.  Only then, deshell the prawn.
Enjoy!!

Note:
Prawn
Prawn is easily cooked, so don't boil or simmer for too long.

Taste
The sweet & sour must be balance. Salt is just complimentary and shouldn't be too salty.


Marination
If the tamarind juice is not enough to cover the prawn, you can either add in more water or alternate stir the prawn so it marinades well.

Gravy
Depending how much gravy you want, it is not necessary to pour in everything.  Otherwise, the gravy is too much and if you can't finish it, it is wasting. Alternative, you can pour the extra gravy onto a small bowl for dipping purposes.
If it is not enough, then you can add in water; gradually.