I visited my dad’s sister earlier this week. She suffered a stroke and I can’t stop thinking about her. It’s a reminder that life can change in an instant. I’m praying for her recovery and hoping that she can get back to her normal life soon.
While it was indeed sad, we also cherished some heartwarming moments. My father passed away approximately a month and a half before my sixth birthday. I can vividly recall many aspects of him, yet there are, of course, aspects that have faded from my memory. My aunt and her family lived in the same apartment building as us. She was on the 11th floor while we were on the 10th. She has a daughter, Ana and my cousin is a few months older than me. She was my first BFF. We used to engage in playtime and attend school as companions. The fact that both of us had only brothers seemed to create a special bond between us.
When I visited Ana at her place, she shared an amusing story with me. She recounted that during the times when my dad would park his car after work, I used to call out to him from our kitchen window on the 10th floor, requesting ice cream (as there were shops beneath our apartment). My volume must have been quite loud for him to hear me from such a distance! Interestingly, Ana, who lived on the 11th floor, could also hear my shouts. This was a source of joy for her, as it meant my dad would also get ice cream for her as well.
The memories of my father have always been close to my heart, and they are etched deeply within me. This newly uncovered memory has brought a constant smile to my face throughout the day… <3
Talking about memories, my dad enjoyed a good curry and today’s recipe is something that he would love! I really enjoy this dish. In fact, this Udang masak lemak nenas – Pineapple prawn curry is a favorite of many in my family. This is not the kinda curry that you get in Indian cuisine. It does not use as much spices and it is more creamy due to the presence of the coconut milk.
This dish is very popular among the Malays and the Peranakans too. Of course, no curry is complete without a dash of aromatic magic. In this case, we have lemongrass to infuse their citrusy fragrance, while kaffir lime leaves and laksa leaves team up to create a symphony of scents that’ll transport you straight to a tropical paradise. Best of all, this dish does not require any saute-ing and can be cooked in a jiffy. Yes, this is the under 30 minutes kinda meal!
This dish perfectly balances the sweetness and tartness of pineapple with the savory goodness of prawns. You can adjust the level of the heat according to your preference. In fact, if you want to make it vegetarian, feel free to omit the prawns. It is still VERY good!
Do give this recipe a try folks. This Udang masak lemak nenas – Pineapple prawn curry is a symphony of tastes that will leave your taste buds dancing! Optimally, pairing this dish with rice is recommended. However, a word of caution: resisting the urge for seconds might prove challenging. Personally, I have never managed to succeed in doing so!!
- 500g large prawns with shell intact
- ½ of a ripen pineapple, cut into 1.5 inch pieces
- 300 ml thick coconut milk
- 800 ml water
- 1 Lemongrass, bruised
- 1 Ginger torch, halved (optional)
- 6 Kaffir lime leaves
- 2 Turmeric leaves (optional)
- A handful of laksa leaves
- 1-2 Tbsp sugar (More if your pineapple is sour)
- Salt, to taste
- 2 Onion or 10 shallots
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 lemongrass
- 2cm Turmeric or ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 cm Ginger
- 1 cm Galangal
- 4 red chilies
- 6-10 Birds eye chili (Omit if you prefer it not spicy)
- Place blended ingredients in a pan/wok and add water.
- Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and tumeric leaves if using.
- Let this boil rapidly for about 10 minutes.
- Season with salt and add in pineapple.
- Add torch ginger if using and let this boil for a further 5 minutes.
- Add prawns and let these cook for a few minutes.
- Once prawns are cook, mix in coconut milk and sugar and let it reaches a light simmer. You do not want the dish to be boling rapidly after adding the coconut milk. (If the gravy is too thick to your liking, just add some water)
- Lastly, add the laksa leaves and turn off the flame.
- Serve with rice.
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