2-10 dried hot red chillies, crumbled
6 candlenuts or 8 cashew nuts
90 g shallots, chopped
1 tsp shrimp paste
450 g prawns, peeled and de-veined, patted dry
5 tb vege oil
2 tb tamarind paste (or 4 tb lime juice)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
Soak chillies and nuts in 5 tb water for 1 hour. Put all in food processor with shallots and shrimp paste and blend to a smooth paste, adding more water if needed.
Stir-fry paste mix in oil over high heat in a wok for 1 minute, turn heat to medium and continue another 2 minutes. Turn heat up again and add prawns, cook 1 minute. Lower to medium and add tamarind, salt and sugar. Cook a little longer.
There is plenty of strong sauce here - bulks out well with courgettes, aubergines, carrots etc. added before prawns.
Source: Madhur Jaffrey 'Middle Eastern Cooking'
