Sambal Petai with Shrimp

Peel the shrimp, remove the heads and shells, leaving the tails intact. Devein the shrimp by making a shallow cut along the back and removing the dark vein.

Wash the peeled shrimp thoroughly and pat them dry with paper towels.

Marinate the shrimp with salt, sugar, white pepper, egg white, and cornstarch. Mix well to ensure all shrimp are evenly coated.

Peel the petai (stink beans) and cut each bean in half. Carefully remove the bitter core from each half.

Prepare a bowl of clean water and add a pinch of salt. Soak the prepared petai in this salted water.

Soak the dried shrimp in hot water until softened. Soak the dried chilies in hot water, then deseed them and soak again until soft.

Slice the red onion, lemongrass, garlic, and ginger for the sambal paste. Combine these with the soaked dried shrimp (including the soaking water) and soaked dried chilies in a blender.

Blend all ingredients until a smooth sambal paste is formed.

Mix the asam paste with water to create asam water. If using asam jawa pulp, mix 1 tbsp of pulp with 2 tbsp of water.

Slice the remaining red onion for later use in the stir-fry.

Heat about 1 cup of cooking oil in a wok until it's hot and slightly smoking.

Deep fry the marinated shrimp for about 15-20 seconds until they turn pink and are cooked through. Remove the shrimp and set aside.

Drain the soaked petai from the salted water. Reheat the wok (after removing most of the oil from frying shrimp), add a small amount of fresh cooking oil, and quickly stir-fry the petai for about 10 seconds until fragrant. Remove and set aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons of cooking oil in the wok. Add the sliced red onion and stir-fry until fragrant.

Add the blended sambal paste to the wok. Stir-fry over medium heat until the paste is fragrant, the oil separates, and it appears slightly shiny (about 5-7 minutes).

Season the sambal paste with salt, sugar, and belacan. Continue to stir-fry until the seasonings are well incorporated.

Pour in the asam water and stir-fry until the sauce is well combined and slightly reduced. If the sauce becomes too dry, add a splash of water.

Add the fried shrimp, stir-fried petai, and sliced red onion to the wok. Stir-fry quickly over high heat to mix all ingredients evenly with the sambal. Ensure everything is coated and heated through.

Serve the Sambal Petai with Shrimp immediately, garnished with fresh lettuce if desired.