Entree: Christmas Island – Central Culinary Region – Sambal Udang (Spicy shrimp cooked in a chili-and-shrimp-paste sambal sauce)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 10 min

Total 25 min

Ingredients

- 1 lb (454 g) medium shrimp (16–20 count), peeled and deveined
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 6 shallots, thinly sliced, approx. 3.5 oz (100 g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced, approx. 9 g
- 6–8 red chilies (bird's eye or red chile), stemmed, approx. 2 oz (60 g)
- 1 medium tomato, chopped, approx. 5 oz (150 g)
- 1 tbsp (15 g) belacan (shrimp paste) or terasi
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) tamarind paste diluted in 2 tbsp (30 ml) warm water
- 1 tbsp (15 g) palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt, or to taste
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) water, if needed to loosen sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice, about 1/2 lime, for finishing
- Fresh cilantro or sliced scallions for garnish

Instructions

1. Prepare the sambal paste by pounding or blending the shallots, garlic, chilies, belacan, and a pinch of salt into a coarse paste.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sambal paste and fry, stirring, for 3–5 minutes until fragrant and the oil separates slightly.
3. Add the chopped tomato and continue to cook 3–4 minutes, mashing the tomato into the paste so it breaks down into a thick sauce.
4. Stir in the palm sugar and tamarind mixture; add 2 tablespoons water if the paste is too dry. Simmer gently 2 minutes to meld flavors.
5. Add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer and cook 2–4 minutes, turning once, until the shrimp are just opaque and coated in the sauce.
6. Finish with lime juice, adjust salt and sugar to taste, and garnish with cilantro or scallions. Serve hot with steamed rice.