Ingredients
A:
2 dried
tamarind slices
1
tablespoon sugar
a pinch of
salt
water
Ingredients
B:
3 stalks
lemon grass, thinly sliced
½
thumb-sized piece turmeric
20 dried
chilies or 2-3 tablespoons chili paste
20
shallots, peeled
1 clove
garlic, peeled
1
tablespoon dried shrimp paste
Ingredients
C:
2
tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons
salt
2 stalks
ginger bud flower (bunga kantan)
halved lengthwise
1-1½
tablespoons tamarind with 900ml water,
squeezed and strained
300g lady's
fingers (okra)
600g prawns
(shrimps) or fish head, trimmed and washed
Method:
Cut away
the stems of the lady's fingers before halving them. Boil
ingredients A in a saucepan. Put in the lady's fingers and
boil until tender (10-15 minutes). Drain and set aside.
Grind ingredients B to a fine paste. Heat 115ml oil in wok
and fry paste until oil bubbles through; stir constantly.
Stir in ingredients C and some of the tamarind water. Cook
for 1 minute, then add the rest of the tamarind water and bring to
boil. Cook for further 2 minutes. Do not cover
wok. Put in the prawns or fish head and cook until
done. Finally, add the lady's fingers. To choose young
and tender lady's fingers, bend the ends to see if they snap
easily. Those that do not break easily are tough and
stringy.