Sambal Shrimp Recipes

SPICY SAMBAL SHRIMP

Steps:

• Place shrimp in a large bowl of cold water until thawed, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Melt 1/2 cup butter in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in the microwave in 15-second intervals, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Mix in garlic and half the lemon juice.
• Melt 1 1/2 teaspoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp, garlic butter mixture, and sambal oelek. Cook and stir until garlic is cooked and shrimp are heated through, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Bring water and sushi rice to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, until liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes.
• Serve shrimp over rice, topped with remaining lemon juice and green onions.

SAMBAL SHRIMP

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the sambal oelek, lime juice, olive oil, sugar, garlic, ginger, mirin, fish sauce and sesame oil. Whisk well to combine. Allow the marinade to sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
• Place the shrimp in a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag, and add all but 1 /2 cup of the marinade to the bag. Allow the shrimp to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Preheat a grill to medium-high and oil the grill.
• Place the shrimp on the grill and cook until they are just cooked through, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a large bowl. Add the reserved 1/2 cup marinade, the cilantro and the mint and toss well to combine. Transfer the shrimp to a large serving bowl or platter, and serve immediately.

SHRIMP SAMBAL

Steps:

• Make sambal paste:
• To a food processor with motor running add sambal paste ingredients, 1 at a time through feed tube, and purée mixture to a paste.
• Shell shrimp, leaving tail and connecting shell segment intact, and devein. In a colander rinse shrimp and drain well. Halve onions lengthwise and cut halves lengthwise into julienne strips.
• Heat a large heavy skillet over moderately low heat until hot. Cook sambal paste in oil, stirring, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened. Stir in coconut milk, brown sugar, and salt and bring to a boil. Add shrimp and lime juice and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are just cooked through, about 5 minutes.
• Divide shrimp sambal among 4 plates and serve with rice.

SAMBAL SHRIMP LETTUCE WRAPS

Steps:

• Whisk hot chili paste, honey, vinegar, and 2 tsp. sesame oil in a small bowl to combine. Season shrimp lightly with kosher salt and place in a resealable plastic bag. Pour in half of marinade and seal bag. Transfer remaining marinade to a small bowl and set aside for serving. Let shrimp sit at room temperature, turning the bag occasionally to ensure even coating, 10-15 minutes.
• Remove shrimp from marinade, allowing excess to drip back into bag, and transfer to paper towels to drain. Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Working in batches and adding another 1 Tbsp. oil along the way if the skillet is looking dry, arrange shrimp in skillet in a single layer and cook undisturbed 2 minutes (the marinade will have darkened in color and some of the sugars in it will have started to caramelize). Turn shrimp over and cook 30 seconds. Transfer to a platter.
• Arrange cucumbers on platter next to shrimp; season with sea salt and drizzle with remaining 2 tsp. sesame oil. Arrange lettuce leaves and mint sprigs on platter so that each component is visible and easily accessible. Place crushed peanuts in a small bowl and set out next to platter along with reserved marinade (for spooning into wraps).

SAMBAL BELACAN

Steps:

• Belacan has an intense aroma, so it is best to open a window or turn on the stove's exhaust fan to its highest setting when toasting it. Toast the belacan in a frying pan over medium heat, using the back of a spatula to rub it against the surface of the pan. Stir and continue to toast until it is brittle and lightens in color, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
• Seed the chiles if you prefer a milder sauce. Finely chop the chiles. Transfer the chiles and makrut lime leaf to a mortar, and grind with a pestle until blended. Stir in the toasted belacan and continue to pound until you obtain a fine, dark paste. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, pulse the ingredients with a small blender or food processor to form a chunky purée. Use a spatula to keep pressing down the paste as you blend to make it smoother.
• Add sugar and salt to taste. Sugar helps tone down the pungency; salt is optional and usually unnecessary. The sauce should be a balance between savory and spicy. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, squeeze the limes into the sambal and mix well.

SAMBAL SAUCE

Steps:

• Place serrano peppers, sugar, salt, shrimp paste, tomato, onion, garlic, and lime juice into a blender, and blend until smooth. Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the chile puree along with the lemongrass, curry leaves, and galangal. Cook and stir until the mixture changes color and becomes very fragrant, about 15 minutes. Stir in the tamarind juice, and cook for 1 minute more. Strain before serving.