Bamboo Shoot and Prawn Sambal

Ingredients
200 g medium prawns, cleaned and unshelled
300 g fresh or canned young bamboo shoots
sugar and salt to taste
100 ml water
2 Tbsp oil

Pound or grind:
10 small onions
2 garlic cloves
5 fresh red chillies
1/2 Tbsp Belachan powder

Method
1. Boil fresh bamboo shoots for 10 minutes before slicing thinly. This step is not needed if you are using canned shoots. Simply drain, wash and slice thinly.

2. Heat oil in hot wok. Fry the pounded ingredients till fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add a little water if the mixture sticks to the wok.

3. Add prawns, bamboo shoots and stir fry till prawns are cooked. Add water, salt and sugar according to taste. Simmer a little. Dish out and serve hot with cooked rice.

Cook's Tip
Belachan powder (dried prawn paste) in a bottle is available in Asian spice section of supermarkets. Use sparingly as the smell is pungent for the uninitiated.