Mummy Ping’s Sambal prawns & green beans

• green beans↗500g g

  trimmed and halved on the diagonal

• raw, shelled king prawns↗1kg g

  (defrost if frozen)

• vegetable oil↗200ml ml
• tamarind paste100g g

  or juice 3 limes, see tip below left

• chicken stock↗2 tbsp tbsp

  powder

• golden caster sugar↗3 tbsp tbsp
• small dried red chillies↗20
• lemongrass16

  stalks, tender parts only

• shallots↗450g g

  roughly chopped

• candlenuts or macadamia nuts50g g

  roughly chopped

• shrimp paste1 tsp tsp
• vegetable oil↗4 tbsp tbsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   First, make the spice paste. Soak the dried chillies in hot water for 20 mins until soft. Drain, then mix the chillies with the rest of the spice paste ingredients in a processor or blender to make an even, fine‑textured paste.

2. 2

   Put a large pan of water on to boil, then drop in the green beans and cook for 3 mins. Lift the beans from the water, cool under cold running water, then drain. Using the same pan of water, cook the prawns for 1-2 mins, until they have just turned pink, then run these under cold water too.

3. 3

   Heat the oil a large wok or frying pan and fry the spice paste over a medium heat for 8-10 mins. Stir in the tamarind paste, chicken stock powder and sugar, and cook for 2 mins. Add the prawns, green beans and 4 tbsp water, and cook for 4-5 mins more until the prawns are completely cooked through and the beans are just tender. Serve immediately with the Pandan steamed rice (see 'Goes well with').