Gulai Udang is a flavour-packed Indonesian Prawn Curry popularly found on restaurant menus in Malaysia.
The delicious coconut milk curry is prepared with a spicy homemade sambal chili paste featuring fragrant lemongrass, lime leaf, ginger, garlic shallots and red chili.
Plump prawns float in a creamy curry sauce with sweet corn and crunchy snow peas, which is best spooned over steamed rice or noodles.
Serve our homemade Gulai Udang recipe as a seafood-lovers main course with a side of spicy sambal at your next curry night!
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What Is Gulai Udang?
Gulai Udang, also known as Indonesian Prawn Curry, is a popular seafood dish served at restaurants and home kitchens throughout Malaysia.
You’re unlikely to find the dish in Indonesia, as this Prawn Curry is a Malaysian interpretation of Indonesian flavours.
The main component of Gulai Udang is a homemade sambal, also known as an Indonesian chili paste. The sambal in this spicy Indonesian Prawn Curry includes bold flavours, that are blended together in a food processor or mortar and pestle.
Our mouth-watering Gulai Udang sambal includes long red chilies, shallots, garlic, ginger, cashews (or candlenuts if you can find them), lemongrass and lime leaf.
In a large skillet the sambal is combined with the other Indonesian Prawn Curry ingredients, like coconut milk, tomatoes, fish sauce, corn, snow peas and exotic spices.
The fragrant seafood stew is typically served with rice and spicy sambal, just in case your’e craving more heat!
Travel to Malaysia by Cooking Gulai Udang at Home
I love traveling through Asia.
My first visit to Asia had me living in South Korea for a year as a teacher and it’s where I was first introduced to fermented vegetables like kimchi.
After my contract ended in Seoul I travelled throughout Asia for 6 months, visiting the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, The Maldives, India and Malaysia.
In 2008 I spent a month backpacking through Malaysia, visiting wild Orangutans in Borneo, scuba diving Sipidan, exploring Kota Kinabalu and Kuching, eating my way through Penang, strolling the tea fields of the Cameron Highlands and wining and dining in cosmopolitan Kuala Lumpur.
Later in 2018 as a travel journalist I had the opportunity to return to Malaysia to visit The Andaman Langkawi and Four Seasons Resort Langkawi. I discovered there are plenty of things to do on Langkawi. Malaysia’s famous tropical island offers museums, jaw-dropping lookouts, unique wildlife experiences and a bustling local food market.
What I found most fascinating is Malaysia’s distinct regional food cultures. Much like the regional cuisines found in France, Germany, Italy or Spain, each destination in Malaysia had its own local speciality.
Whenever I visit Malaysia I always try and sample each restaurants unique rendition of Indonesian Prawn Curry. I’ve slurped through bowls of Gulai Udang in fish markets as a simple street food, at bustling hawker stalls and luxurious 5 star hotel restaurants.
Massive prawns swimming in a spicy coconut curry are best enjoyed alongside steamed rice or slippery noodles.
Where To Eat Indonesian Prawn Curry
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to local Southeast Asian restaurants that serves their own Indonesian Prawn Curry.
Haven’t traveled to Asia before? It may be helpful to first sample Gulai Udang at a local Indonesian or Malaysian restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You can determine the perfect spicy heat level, ideal size of the prawns to purchase at your fish monger and complimentary dishes to serve at the table.
In Toronto, popular Indonesian and Malaysian restaurants that may serve an authentic Gulai Udang recipe include Borrel Restaurant, Little Sister, Soos, Gourmet Malaysia, Restoran Malaysia and NaiNai.
My Family Loves Indonesian Prawn Curry
I love cooking tasty dishes inspired by my travels for friends and family. After extensively traveling through Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore I fell head over heels in love with Gulai Udang.
I was excited to return home to recreate the fragrant prawn coconut curry in my kitchen the next time my family was coming over for dinner.
I prepared this easy Indonesian Prawn Curry recipe on a hot summer day. I shopped for locally grown vegetables so flavoured the dish with sweet corn and crunchy snow peas as they were in season.
I knew my parents would love this Malaysian curry because they enjoy creamy coconut milk sauces, seafood dishes and fragrant spices.
The dish was such a hit we usually make it at least once a year, served with steamed rice and homemade sambal.
Gulai Udang Recipe Health Benefits
Our Indonesian Prawn Curry recipe is packed full of healthy ingredients!
Coconut is rich in fibre and may also offer a number of benefits including improved heart healthy and digestion. It is high in calories and sautéed fat so be sure to eat in moderation.
Rich in a group of phytochemicals called carotenoids, tomatoes may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and provide protection against cancer. Tomatoes are also a good source of immune-boosting vitamin C.
A good source of bone-strengthening vitamin K, coriander is also rich in antioxidants that help protect the eyes from damage by free radicals.
A rich source of phytochemicals and vitamin C, limes help boost your immune system and neutralize free radicals that cause disease and skin aging. Lemons also protect against heart disease and help improve blood flow to the brain.
Seafood is a high-protein food that is low in calories, total fat, and saturated fat. High in vitamins and minerals, seafood has been shown to have numerous health benefits including decreasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, obesity, and hypertension.
Corn is rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps protect your cells from damage and wards off diseases like cancer and heart disease. Yellow corn is a good source of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which are good for eye health and help prevent the lens damage that leads to cataracts.
Peas are loaded with A, B-1, B-6, C, and a supersized serving of osteoporosis-fighting K. One cup of boiled green peas has 46% of your RDA of vitamin K-1, known for maintaining bone health and helping blood to clot to prevent bleeding. Peas are high in fibre and low in fat and contain no cholesterol.
Lemongrass is a rich source of antioxidants. It’s an effective antibacterial and anti-fungal agent.
Shallots are a humble vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Regular consumption of onions can help boost digestive health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Chili has been proven to help reduce the duration of sickness, prevent heart disease, and promote weight loss.
It is only recently that scientists have begun to identify the components responsible for garlic’s myriad health benefits. Rich in phytochemicals and potassium, garlic helps boost your immune system, fight cancer and protect your heart.
Ginger contains at least 14 phytochemicals, many of which have impressive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has a good source of copper, which supports your bones, blood and nervous system.
Cashews are low in sugar and rich in fibre, heart-healthy fats, and plant protein. They’re also a good source of copper, magnesium, and manganese — nutrients important for energy production, brain health, immunity, and bone health.
Recipe Cooking Tips
This Indonesian Prawn Curry recipe is easy to make at home. We’ve included a few tips and tricks to get you started:
- Visit your fish monger or the seafood counter at your grocery store to purchase the biggest prawns you can find. It’s best to purchase raw prawns with their shells and tails attached as they help flavour the coconut sauce.
- We’ve used Thai Long Red Chilies in this recipe rather than spicier Bird’s Eye Chilies. If you don’t like spicy food remove the seeds and just use the flesh of the chilies.
- Our sambal features cashews but if you can find candlenuts use them instead as they are what’s most commonly used in Malaysian kitchens.
- We’ve added sweet corn and snow peas to this curry as it was made in the summer but you can get creative in the kitchen by also using long beans, eggplant or squash.
- We’ve used traditional Palm Sugar to sweeten the curry but you can substitute with brown sugar.
- If keen to impress guests, garnish the dish with Coconut Chips or toasted coconut before serving.
What To Serve with Gulai Udang
Indonesian Prawn Curry is a hearty main course we love to serve with steamed rice or noodles.
If you’re hosting an Indonesian, Malay or Singaporean dinner party you might like to serve this Gulai Udang recipe with:
- Perkedel Jagung Crispy Indonesian Corn Fritters
- Daging Rendang Indonesian Beef Stew
- Asinan Sayur Indonesian Coleslaw Cabbage Salad
- Acar Timun Indonesian Cucumber Pickles
- Penang Prawn Noodle Soup Hokkien Mee
- Vegetarian Roti Canai Curry
- Seafood Laksa Singaporean Shrimp & Fish Soup
- Singaporean Bak Chor Mee Minced Pork Noodle Soup
- Vegan Citrus “Rojak” Singapore Salad
Storing Curry
If you have leftover Indonesian Prawn Curry you can store it in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Reheat in a microwave or in a pot over a stove top. Add a splash of coconut milk to loosen up the curry then serve once heated through.
We love doubling this recipe as it freezes well, making for an easy last minute dinner during a busy work week.
You May Also Enjoy These Curry Recipes...
- Creamy Indian Chicken Handi Curry
- Gaeng Hung Lay Burmese Pork Belly Curry
- Gaeng Phed Ped Yang Roast Duck Thai Red Curry
- Pakistani North Indian Karahi Chicken Curry
- Pakistani Curry Chicken Salan
- Tangy Tamarind & Coconut Prawn Goan Curry
- Indian Chicken Keema Masala Curry
- Boller I Karry Danish Meatballs in Curry Sauce
- Tender Kerala Style Ularthiyathu Beef Fry
- Spicy Creamy Coconut Nadan Kerala Beef Curry
- Thai Tamarind Prawn Curry
- Indian Vegetarian Creamy Corn Black Bean Curry
How To Make Gulai Udang Indonesian Prawn Curry
Gulai Udang Indonesian Prawn Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Coconut Oil
- 3 Tomatoes chopped
- 1 tbsp Ground Coriander
- 400 ml Coconut Milk
- Pinch Kosher Salt
- Pinch Black Pepper
- 3 tsp Palm Sugar
- 3 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 2 Limes juiced
- 400 g Raw Prawns peeled, tails on
- 130 g Corn
- 75 g Snow Peas
- Cilantro Leaves chopped
Spice Paste
- 5 Long Red Chilies deseeded, sliced
- 6 Shallots peeled and sliced
- 6 Garlic Cloves peeled and sliced
- 45 g Ginger peeled and sliced
- 1/4 cup Cashews toasted
- 2 Lemongrass Stalks thinly sliced
- 2 Lime Leaves stems removed, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Place all the spice paste ingredients into a food processor or mortar and pestle and blend until smooth. Heat the oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat and add the spice paste. Stirring continuously, cook the spice paste for 10-15 minutes or until fragrant and softened.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and ground coriander to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour the coconut milk and 200 ml water into the pan and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until thickened. Season to taste with salt, pepper, sugar, fish sauce and lime juice. Reduce the sauce until thickened.
- Add the prawns, corn and snow peas to the curry, stirring 3-4 minutes until the prawns turn opaque, have curled slightly and are just cooked through.
- Divide the curry between four serving bowls and garnish with a sprinkling of chopped herbs. Serve with lime wedges.
Nutrition
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