Udang Terung medan - fried shrimp with eggplant

Ingredients

• 300 gprawns
• 3Indonesian bay leaves (daun salam)
• 3red chillies
• 2green chillies
• 4honje (torch ginger) leaves
• 150 gaubergine
• 150 mlwater
• ¼ tsppalm sugar
• 1¼ tspsalt
• 4belimbing (starfruit)
• 50 gtekokak (pea aubergines)
• 2 tbspoil
• 5red chillies
• 4 clovesgarlic
• 4shallots
• 3 cmturmeric
• 1 cmginger
• 1 tspcoriander
• ¼ tspcumin

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the prawns

   Peel the prawns, leaving their tails attached.

2. 2

   Chop the vegetables

   Cut the chillies, honje leaves and aubergine into small pieces. Cut the belimbing into pieces as well.

3. 3

   Make the paste

   Pound or grind the chilli, garlic, shallot, turmeric, ginger, coriander and cumin ingredients until they form a fine paste.

4. 4

   Fry the paste

   Heat the oil in a pan and fry the paste with the salam leaves for 4 minutes.

5. 5

   Cook the prawns

   Add the prawns and cook until they change colour.

6. 6

   Add the vegetables

   Stir in the chillies, honje leaves and aubergine, then cook for 3 minutes.

7. 7

   Simmer the sauce

   Add the water, salt and palm sugar, then bring the mixture to the boil.

8. 8

   Finish the dish

   Add the tekokak and belimbing and cook until tender.

What is Udang Terung Medan?

The name describes a Medan-style Indonesian dish of prawns and aubergine. Medan is a city in North Sumatra, where local cooking draws on a range of regional ingredients and flavours.

This version pairs prawns and aubergine with a ground chilli-and-spice paste, fragrant leaves and tart belimbing. The short cooking stages help the seafood and vegetables keep their distinct textures.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1750 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

The prawns provide most of the protein, while the aubergine, fruit and palm sugar contribute carbohydrates; the oil is the main source of fat. Serve it with a moderate portion of rice and add extra vegetables to round out the plate.

The aromatic ingredients

Salam leaves: these Indonesian leaves add a gentle, distinctive fragrance as they fry with the paste. They are not the same ingredient as European bay leaves, so use salam if you can find it.

Honje: also called torch ginger, its leaves bring a fresh aromatic note. Cut them small so they mingle through the sauce.

Building the spice paste

Fine paste: grind the chillies, garlic, shallots, turmeric, ginger, coriander and cumin as evenly as possible. A finer paste fries more consistently and coats the prawns and vegetables well.

Fragrant base: give the paste the full 4 minutes in the oil with the salam leaves before adding the prawns. Keep it moving so it cooks without catching.

Keeping the prawns tender

Colour cue: cook the prawns just until they change colour at the start of the method. They will cook further as the sauce comes to the boil, so avoid leaving them in the pan longer than needed.

Gentle finish: once the tekokak and belimbing go in, cook until tender rather than letting the mixture boil away for an extended time.

Balancing the aubergine and fruit

Aubergine: cutting it into small pieces helps it cook through during the brief 3-minute stage before the water is added. Keep the pieces fairly even for a consistent result.

Belimbing: its tartness contrasts with the palm sugar and savoury spice paste. Add it near the end, as directed, so it retains some character while becoming tender.

What to serve alongside

Plain steamed rice is a natural accompaniment, soaking up the spiced, tangy sauce without competing with it. Serve the dish hot, with the prawns and vegetables distributed across the portions.

For a fuller meal, add another vegetable side, such as simply cooked greens. Keep it lightly seasoned so the aromatic sauce remains the focus.

Recipe notes & tips

• Leave the prawn tails on as directed, but peel the rest of each prawn before cooking.
• Grind the spice ingredients thoroughly so the paste cooks evenly.
• Cut the aubergine and chillies into small, similar-sized pieces.
• Stir the paste while frying to help prevent it from sticking or scorching.
• Add the tekokak and belimbing at the end and check them for tenderness as they cook.

Variations

• Adjust the heat: use fewer chillies in the paste for a milder dish.
• Keep the tails: leave the prawn tails on as directed for easier handling at the table.
• Use larger aubergine pieces: cut them slightly bigger if you prefer a more distinct vegetable texture.
• Serve with rice: pair the dish with steamed rice to catch the sauce.
• Find the Indonesian ingredients: look for salam, honje and tekokak at an Indonesian or specialist Asian grocer.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Rough spice paste: grind the paste ingredients finely so they fry evenly.
• Scorched paste: stir it as it fries with the salam leaves for 4 minutes.
• Uneven aubergine pieces: cut them small and similar in size so they cook at the same pace.
• Overcooked prawns: cook until they change colour, then let the later simmer finish them.
• Adding the fruit too early: wait until the final stage to add the belimbing and tekokak.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them in a covered container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan until steaming hot throughout, taking care not to cook the prawns for longer than necessary.

Frequently asked questions