Tamarind (Assam in Malay) is the pulp that is obtained from the pods of the tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica). Tamarind or Assam is a sticky fibrous mass which may sometimes include the seeds and the broken seed pods. In the form of "Tamarind Pulp", it is known as Assam Jawa. To obtain tamarind or assam liquid, this pulp is squeezed in a little warm water and then strained (typically through a muslin cloth, or strainer).
My Tamarind Assam Prawns adapted the base concoction (of spice paste, and tamarind) from Rasa Malaysia. Ingredients are almost similar except:
-Substituted fish, with prawns (felt like eating prawns)
-Substiuted okra, with pineapples (easier, directly from the can)
-Omitted daun kesum -Vietnamese mint/Vietnames coriander (since I don't have)
The result is heavenly, as I would describe it; and "...extraordinarily satisfying...", quote Rasa Malaysia.
Definitely a perfect match with steaming white rice! The gravy...
Related posts:
Cereal Prawns
Pan-Grilled Prawns or Shrimps
Prawns or Shrimps with Spicy Milk Saure
Cheat Sheet "Chilli Crab" - Spicy seafood medley
Tag: prawns, shrimps, assam, tamarind, assam prawns,tamarind prawns, pineapple prawns
Ar... so which kind of tamarind did you buy? The dried ones in a pod or the moist ones (look like texture of dates) or the weird bottled paste type that I bought?
ReplyDeleteHubby loves prawns... he'll go wild with this!
This dish is definitely great with steaming white rice! But I usually shell the prawns leaving the tails. Lazy to shell it while eating (though it's tempting to just suck the gravy from the prawn). Yummy!
ReplyDeleteOf course, over here we use fresh pineapples (which can be rather acidic at times). It must be very expensive in California, right? By the way, I'm going back to Pontian tomorrow for Cheng Beng. Hope to get some really sweet pineapples from Pekan Nenas.
my oh my! this looks absolutely scumptious.
ReplyDeleteOooh my udang...you are really Green comes out from Blue...so creative. Slurp slurp...next time I have you steal your idea when I make Assam Pedas. If you use fresh pineapples, even better Tiga!
ReplyDeleteI've been craving Vnese sour fish soup with pineapple. How come our tastebuds always end up insync? :) And I don't know what daun kesum translates to, but VNese mint (rau thom) and VNese coriander (rau ram) are two different herbs. I suspect you mean VNese coriander (rau ram) though because that's what I eat would use for this. Don't worry, I have a garden update post coming up soon with a little lesson on VNese herbs. :)
ReplyDeleteYou put me to shame. I live here where it's easy to get all the ingredients, and yet, I don't cook. No wonder my man's losing weight. :-P Time to surprise him with assam prawns. :-D
ReplyDeleteI just came back from fish market! should have checked your blog earlier so I can have asam prawn too! so tempting... am a prawn lover!!
ReplyDeleteOhhh, these look soooo good that who cares what they're called??
ReplyDeleteI had this dish when we were in Hong Kong on holiday and my husband really loved it. I think the Vietnamese mint and coriander give it a distinct taste, but if you can't find it you can try normal mint/coriander. I couldn't find Vietnamese mint and coriander at my local supermarket so I just bought the local ones instead and they were ok as substitutes.
ReplyDeleteMy wife loves assam fish and assam everything. Never tried assam prawn though. Is it available in one of those pre-mix packs in the supermarket? Short-cut mah...But dun tell her... she thinks I'm a great cook! LOL.
ReplyDeleteHi char boh!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your messages and well-wishes! I'm back! hahaha....
alamak, come at the wrong time! I see prawns kena itchy - allergic!
Tigerfish, to borrow a phrase from Chris, your prawns "look larger than life".
ReplyDeletesimcooks, used the moist ones(1 small pack) I "smuggled" from SG :O ...I was sure what I was buying in SG, but not here. But if I run out of supply, I will know which one to get next time. I also got the bottled one before but still in my pantry, hv not used it. Yes, the moist ones look like dates.;p
ReplyDeletepablopabla, I also have those shelled prawns...but they are all below the 大头虾! Hahaha! Can find fresh pineapple here but my kitchen too small- not spacious enough to cut the big fresh pineapple!:O
ReplyDeletenovice baker, very appetizing! Coz of the tomatoes, pineapples, and assam.
ReplyDeleteRM- where got? Ginger the older the better lah! You and Udang even appeared together up in my post :O ...Inseparable man!
ReplyDeleteWandering Chopsticks,I also have the fish version. Is the Vnese version that spicy too? Regarding the herbs, hee hee...coz I refer to RM's recipe and it was in her ingredients, so I just made a note here of these ingredients I do not have and omitted :O
lyrical lemongrass, if you give him assam prawns, then he will lose more wt ah!! Some sourish stuff can be used to chien fei one you know? Hahaha. But again, will eat more and more rice with the assam dish, so all effects cancelled out each other.LOL!
ReplyDeletelydia, keep the assam prawns for your next fish market trip ;p ...but you could also make this with fish. Not any fish makes it assam fish though, right? Did you buy pomfret or pompano fish in this trip?
freya and paul, you are right! So I don't care what it is called too, as long as I can eat them to my fill.
ReplyDeletehedgehog, i'm quite surprised they serve this kind of dish in HK. Thks for the mint/coriander tip! :D
ReplyDeletechris, I like assam everything too. But how come she has assam fish and everything but not assam prawns? But hor...in many eateries in Sg, they actually call this pineapple prawns or tamarind prawns. Think they all meant the same thing.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about any premix on this leh. Never use premix for this one because doing the spice paste is quite easy lah! But I know what you mean. Think assam fish premix is available in the supermarket(NTUC, Giant) ler(seen it before), but I forgot what brand liow!
eastcoastlife, come again...i will try to cook what you can eat, ok :D Glad you are back!
ReplyDeleteVictor, no need to borrow from Chris lah....just borrow the macro-function from camera can liow!...buahahaha...
I bought a few large white baits (not sure if i remember the name correctly) for deep fry and eat with sambal. I saw your related post, cereal prawn... yum!! Will try when my sore throat is gone.
ReplyDeleteI like how you trail off at "The gravy...", it leave all to the imagination how good this dish must be! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a great looking dish, must try it one day with some seafood :D
Eh, girl, you remove the legs from your prawns izzit? There's something about them that looks different leh.. gosh, looks good enough to eat without rice!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, sorry, ah, as for the curry I can't recommend any decent substitute for chickpea flour apart from polenta. Never tried though, so can't guarantee! Go and buy chickpea flour, lah! There are many things you can do with it! You dunno, I teach you! :) Sweet and salty all have!
Those prawns would not only go well with steaming white rice, but they'd go well in my stomach too! Looks incredible! I love tamarind and can only imagine how delicious this recipe would taste!
ReplyDeleteYummz!! Very yummy looking!!!
ReplyDeleteLook at the size of these prawns!
ReplyDeleteshilpa, buahahah....different? Yes, they are legless (I cut off the legs....ouch!). Good enough to eat without rice but it will be TOO SPICY :O Aiyoyo, don't know where to get chickpea flour ler..have to go Indian mart, I think.
ReplyDeletepassionate eater,have you considered preparing them so that there's no need to imagine? Hee heee...but there are lotsa appetizing recipes around to try without the hassle of finding the more uncommon ingredients.
ReplyDeleteprecious pea, you like assam based food? Some pple may find it too sourish to consider it yummy.
patricia, I don't think these are those jumbo shrimps/prawns . They were just normal prawns....thanks to my camera for the enlarged look! Buahahaha!
I wanna eat prawn!!
ReplyDeletefleck, so easily available, cooked any way, in S'pore! Aiyo...
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