Main Course · Dinner · Asian ·

Aromatic Malaysian Prawn Sambal with Kaffir Lime

Name: Aromatic Malaysian Prawn Sambal with Kaffir Lime
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Main Course
Ingredients: 500g large prawns, peeled and deveined; 1 tbsp lime juice; Salt, to taste; 5 dried chilies, soaked; 3 fresh red chilies; 3 cloves garlic; 2 shallots; 1-inch piece ginger; 1 stalk lemongrass, white part only; 2 tbsp oil; 1 cup coconut milk; 4 kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp tamarind paste; 1 tbsp fish sauce; Fresh cilantro, for garnish; Lime wedges

This savory and spicy prawn sambal is a deliciously aromatic Malaysian dish, enhanced by the fresh notes of kaffir lime leaves.

4(540 reviews)

·By Ethan Brooks·October 19, 2025

Aromatic Malaysian Prawn Sambal with Kaffir Lime — Main Course served and photographed from above

Prep

30 min

Cook

1 h 30 min

Difficulty

Intermediate

Serves

Ingredients

Servings

For the Prawns

For the Sambal Paste

For the Curry

For Garnishing

Nutrition

Per serving

Calories: 300 kcal
Protein: 24.75 g
Carbs: 7.25 g
Fat: 19.75 g
Fiber: 0.5 g

Whole recipe

Total

Calories: 1198 kcal
Protein: 99 g
Carbs: 29 g
Fat: 79 g
Fiber: 2 g

Breakdown by ingredient▾

Ingredient	Cal	P	C	F	Fib
500g large prawns peeled and deveined	400	90	0	4	0
1 tbsp lime juice	4	0	1	0	0
Salt to taste	0	0	0	0	0
5 dried chilies soaked	20	1	4	0	1
3 fresh red chilies	18	1	4	0	1
3 cloves garlic	13	1	3	0	0
2 shallots	10	0	2	0	0
1-inch piece ginger	5	0	1	0	0
1 stalk lemongrass white part only	5	0	1	0	0
2 tbsp oil	240	0	0	27	0
1 cup coconut milk	445	5	6	48	0
4 kaffir lime leaves thinly sliced	2	0	0	0	0
1 tbsp tamarind paste	23	0	5	0	1
1 tbsp fish sauce	9	1	1	0	0
Fresh cilantro for garnish	1	0	0	0	0
Lime wedges	3	0	1	0	0

These are estimates, not dietary advice.

Preparation

Get these tasks done before you start cooking.

Marinating the Prawns

1
Combine prawns and marinade
In a bowl, combine prawns with lime juice and salt.
2
Marinate prawns
Let it marinate for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
3
Drain prawns
Drain and set aside.

Preparing the Sambal Paste

1
Blend ingredients
Blend soaked dried chilies, fresh chilies, garlic, shallots, ginger, and lemongrass to a smooth paste.
Tip: Be cautious when blending chilies; steam may release spicy vapors.
2
Sauté paste
Heat oil in a pan and sauté the paste until fragrant.
3
Set aside
Set the sambal paste aside.
Tip: If sambal is too spicy, tone it down with a bit more coconut milk.

How to Make Aromatic Malaysian Prawn Sambal with Kaffir Lime

Total time: 2 h · Yields 4 servings

1
Sauté sambal paste
Heat a pan and cook the sambal paste over medium heat until it turns dark red and aromatic.
2
Simmer curry
Add coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, tamarind paste, and fish sauce to the paste and simmer for 10 minutes.
3
Cook prawns
Add the prawns to the curry and simmer until they are just cooked through.