This simple Nonya dish is serve as an appetite enhancer because of its hot and sour flavor. It is also popular as an accompaniment to plain rice or noodles. In some restaurants, the soup is presented in a hollowed-out pineapple, halved lengthways.
Ingredients: (Serves 4)
- 30 ml/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 15-30 ml/1-2 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 15 ml/1 tablespoon sugar
- 450 g/1 lb raw shrimp (prawns) peeled and deveined
- 4 thick fresh pineapple slices, cored and cut into bite size chunks
- Salt and ground black pepper
- Fresh cilantro (coriander) and mint leaves, to garnish
- Steamed rice or plain noodles, to serve
For the spice paste:
- 4 shallots, chopped
- 4 red chilies, chopped
- 25 g/1 oz fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1 lemon grass stalk, trimmed and chopped
- 5 ml/1 teaspoon shrimp paste
Method:
Grind the shallots, chilies, ginger and lemon grass to a paste. Add the shrimp paste and mix well.
Heat the oil in a wok or heavy pan. Stir in the spice paste and fry until fragrant. Stir in the tamarind paste and the sugar, then pour in 1.2 liters/2 pints/5 cups water. Mix well and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper.
Add the shrimps and pineapple to the soup and simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until the shrimps are cooked. Using a slotted spoon, lift the shrimps and pineapple out of the soup and divide them among four warmed bowls. Ladle over some of the soup and garnish with cilantro and mint leaves. The remaining soup can be served separately as a drink, or spooned over steamed rice or plain noodles, if they are accompanying this dish.