STIR FRIED PRAWNS IN TAMARIND SAUCE (kung-sauce-ma-kaam)

This recipe is based on our experience cooking at the Basil Healthy Thai Cookery School in Chiang Mai.

Serves 1

Ingredients

  • 3-6 medium green prawns (depends on their size), shelled, tails in tact, and deveined.
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ tbsp. chopped garlic
  • ½ tbsp. sliced shallot
  • 1 large dried red chilli, gently fried, then shredded & put aside
  • 1 tbsp. palm sugar*, pounded from the typical block form to something far more workable (substitute** dark brown muscovado sugar)
  • 1 tbsp. fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp. tamarind juice* (substitute** lemon or lime juice mixed with a touch of brown sugar, for a sour yet a little bit sweet flavor. However, this is such a key ingredient in this recipe I’d really hesitate substituting it)
  • ¼ cup of chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
stir-fried-prawns-in-tamarind-sauce-kung-sauce-ma-kaam

Method

  1. In a wok, warm the oil over low heat and fry garlic and shallots until brown, then set aside.
  2. In the same wok, add onion and fry on médium heat until golden brown. Add palm sugar, chicken stock, fish sauce, tamarind juice and stir well to combined.
  3. Add the prawns and stir thoroughly until done then remove from the heat.

To serve

Transfer to the plate then sprinkle with fried garlic & shallots and fried chilli.

* Palm sugar and tamarind juice are available in most Asian Supermarkets.

** It really is worth the effort to use the original ingredients, however if you are using substitutes, depending on which ones and how much of each, you could change the balance of flavours. Therefore, tasting the final version before serving is essential. Be prepared you may need to play around to get the right balance of sweet, sour and salty.