THE PERANAKANNyonya Teh Gaik Lean extolls the delights of sambal hae-bee.
Dried prawns (hae-bee) are a crucial and versatile ingredient in many dishes across Asia. Hae-bee imparts a unique umami taste.ย Growing up in a peranakan household where my mum cooked five meals a day, hae-bee was used in so many of my familyโs dishes that cooking it instantly evokes wonderful memories of my mum in her kitchen, thanks to its fragrance. Indeed, Iโd say that every family has their own version of sambal hae-bee. Being a new member of The Peranakan Association Singapore (TPAS), I thought I should share my recipe. Sambal hae-bee can be used as a filling for sandwiches or a side dish.
Sambal Hae-Bee Recipe
Group A Items (chilli paste)
2 stalks lemongrass
5 cloves garlic
12 shallots
2-3 big red chillis
6-8 small red chilli-api
Group B Items
ยผ cup oil for frying chilli paste
2 cups dried prawns (hae-bee), chopped
2 tablespoons of chilli powder
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of tamarind paste to give 3 tablespoons of tamarind juice
1 teaspoon of belacan (optional)
2 calamansi limes (for juicing)
10 leaves of kaffir lime (cut finely)
Method:
1. Chop the Items in Group A finely and mix to get the chilli paste.
2. Heat up a wok with oil and stir fry the chilli paste till fragrant.
3. Add the chopped hae-bee into the paste and mix well in the stir-frying.
4. Add chilli powder, sugar, salt, tamarind juice, belacan (optional) and keep stir-frying till well-cooked and dry. It should take about 30 minutes on a low fire when stir-frying.
5.ย In the last 5 minutes, add the juice of calamansi lime and kaffir lime leaves and mix well as stir-frying.
Recipe by Gaik Lean Teh.
