Sambal Prawns with Grilled Pineapple

Spicy Prawns, Sweet Grilled Edges

Sambal udang means prawns with sambal and comes in various forms in Malaysian and wider Southeast Asian cuisine. This is a contemporary, Malaysian-inspired version, not an attempt to capture one regional classic. The prawns are quickly fried with sambal, garlic and lime leaves; grilled pineapple makes the plate sweeter and smokier. The combination works because juicy, spicy and fresh flavours sit side by side, rather than the pineapple being cooked down into a sweet sauce.

Choose firm, raw peeled prawns, fresh or thawed. Pat them thoroughly dry: moisture in the pan lowers the temperature and makes them steam rather than fry. A ripe pineapple has more fragrance and juice, but should still be firm enough to grill in slices. Pineapple is available all year; ripeness varies from one fruit to another, so look for a sweet smell at the base and avoid fruit that is soft or bruised. Fresh lime leaves, also sold as daun limau purut, add a distinctive citrus fragrance. Remove the central vein and finely slice the leaves so they’re pleasant to eat.

Grill the pineapple first in a hot grill pan, without oil. This colours the surface while keeping the inside juicy. Then leave the slices to rest while you cook the prawns. A regular frying pan works too, although you’ll get less distinct grill marks. Fry the garlic and sambal only briefly before adding the prawns; garlic can burn quickly and turn bitter. The prawns are cooked as soon as they’re opaque and just curled. Take them off the heat then, as cooking them for too long makes them firm and dry.

Sambal oelek gives a direct chilli heat; start with less if your sambal is stronger than expected. For more depth, you can add a little trassi, but it changes the flavour and isn’t essential for this recipe. No lime leaves to hand? Use a little finely grated lime zest instead; the fragrance is different, but it goes well with the lime in the dish. Serve with steamed white rice, lime wedges and coriander. Refrigerate leftovers covered within two hours and eat them within two days. Reheat gently until piping hot throughout; brief reheating helps keep the prawns juicy.