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Assam Prawns (Tamarind)

A Singapore-style wok-sautéed Assam Prawns (tamarind) — tangy, slightly spicy prawns tossed in a tamarind-savoury sauce, perfect for family-style zi char nights.

Assam Prawns (Tamarind)

About this dish

Assam Prawns is a beloved tangy-savoury dish you’ll find from home-cooked family meals to kopitiam zi char stalls across Singapore. This Singapore-style version leans on bright tamarind sourness, fresh prawns and warm aromatics — the kind of dish that turns up at East Coast weekend dinners, heartland family gatherings or a casual potluck among friends. It’s an easy crowd-pleaser for busy parents and weeknight dinners, served family-style with steaming white rice.

Think of the flavour profile as a lively balance: sour tamarind, umami from fish sauce and a touch of belacan (optional), rounded by palm sugar and brightened with tomatoes and fresh chilli. Texture-wise the prawns stay plump and springy while the sauce reduces to a glossy, clingy coating that’s perfect for mopping with rice — the same satisfying experience you might get at a neighbourhood zi char stall or hawker centre.

This recipe is flexible for Singapore kitchens: use fresh tiger prawns or frozen prawns from NTUC or Cold Storage, swap palm sugar for brown sugar, and adjust the chilli padi to your household’s heat tolerance. Serve it alongside sambal kangkong, achar or a simple cucumber salad for a full hawker-style platter that’s unmistakably local.

Ingredients

  • 500 g fresh prawns (head-on or shelled, deveined), tails intact if preferred
  • 2 tbsp tamarind paste (diluted to 60 ml warm water, strained)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil or groundnut oil
  • 4 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed and sliced
  • 1 thumb (25 g) ginger, julienned
  • 2 stalks lemongrass (white part only), bruised and thinly sliced
  • 2–3 red bird’s eye chillies (chilli padi), sliced — adjust to taste
  • 1–2 red chillies, sliced for colour (optional)
  • 1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
  • 75 g pineapple chunks (optional, for sweet-tart balance)
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp belacan (shrimp paste), toasted and dissolved, optional for deeper umami
  • 1½ tbsp palm sugar or soft brown sugar (adjust to taste)
  • 50 ml water or prawn stock
  • Small handful of curry leaves or fresh coriander for garnish
  • Juice of ½ lime (optional, for extra brightness)
  • Salt and white pepper to taste

Step-by-Step Method

  1. 1. Prepare the prawns: rinse and pat dry. If using head-on prawns, remove the vein with a small knife and lightly score the back to help the sauce penetrate.
  2. 2. Make tamarind mix: dissolve 2 tbsp tamarind paste in 60 ml warm water, strain to remove fibres, and set aside. Taste for acidity and dilute if too strong.
  3. 3. Pre-heat the wok over high heat until smoking lightly, then add oil. For wok hei, ensure the wok is hot and ingredients are ready before you start.
  4. 4. Sauté aromatics: lower heat to medium-high, add sliced shallots, garlic, ginger, bruised lemongrass and curry leaves; stir-fry 1–2 minutes until fragrant and starting to brown.
  5. 5. Add belacan (if using) and chillies: fry briefly to release aroma, then add tomatoes and pineapple; stir 1 minute until tomatoes start to soften.
  6. 6. Add prawns: increase heat to high and add prawns; toss quickly until they begin to turn pink (about 1–2 minutes on each side for medium prawns).
  7. 7. Pour in the tamarind mix, fish sauce, light soy and palm sugar, then add 50 ml water or stock. Stir and simmer on medium heat for 2–3 minutes until sauce reduces and coats the prawns — watch the consistency so it doesn’t become dry.
  8. 8. Taste and adjust: balance sour, sweet and salty — add more tamarind for tang, palm sugar for sweetness or a pinch of salt. Finish with lime juice if you like extra brightness.
  9. 9. Finish and serve: remove from heat, garnish with coriander or extra curry leaves, and transfer to a serving platter. Serve hot with steamed rice and other zi char dishes.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Buy fresh head-on prawns from the wet market for best flavour; frozen prawns from NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage or Sheng Siong work well — thaw and pat very dry before cooking.
  • For a deeper umami note typical of hawker stalls, toast a little belacan (shrimp paste) in the pan before adding the aromatics — dissolve it in a splash of water so it mixes through the sauce.
  • Control the sourness by adjusting the tamarind paste — add gradually and taste, as brands vary in strength. For a milder household version, dilute the tamarind more or use less.
  • High heat is key for a glossy sauce and lively texture — keep the wok hot and work quickly once the prawns go in to avoid overcooking.
  • Make ahead: sauce can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated; reheat in a hot wok and add prawns last to keep them plump for next-day lunchboxes.
  • If you can’t find tamarind paste, use fresh tamarind pulp soaked and strained, or substitute with 1 tbsp tamarind concentrate plus extra water, adjusting sweetness accordingly.
  • Adjust spice for kids or heat-averse eaters by removing the seeds from chillies and using fewer bird’s eye chillies; add sliced fresh chillies to the table for those who want more kick.

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