Sambal Goreng Udang Peteh (Indonesian fried chilli shrimp with peteh beans) Recipe

Sambal Goreng Udang Peteh is an Indonesian shellfish dish which consists of two main ingredients, shrimp and peteh beans, which are stir-fried in a spicy chilli paste mixture with several herbs and spices. Sambal Goreng Udan Peteh is a quite common dish throughout the Indonesian archipelago and is eaten in regions such as Padang (Sumatra), Sunda (West-Java), Bali and Manado (Sulawesi). Every region has its own interpretation of Sambal Goreng Udang Peteh. Some add different kind of vegetable and some add coconut milk to the dish. My favorite version of this dish has peteh (pete or petai in Indonesian) but doesn't contain coconut milk, although I use coconut milk sometimes like you can see in the picture below.

Sambal goreng udang peteh, Indonesian fried chili shrimp with peteh beans

Peteh beans in Sambal Goreng Udang Peteh

Peteh (pete or petai in Indonesian) beans are usually referred to in English as bitter bean, twisted cluster bean, or stink bean. The petai tree can grow up to 30 meters and it bears long, flat edible beans with bright green seeds the size and shape of plump almonds which have a rather peculiar smell, similar to, but stronger than shiitake mushrooms, due to sulfur-containing compounds also found in shiitake, truffles and cabbage. You won't find peteh beans in your local supermarket or grocery store because Dutch people don't eat them. In several Asian cuisines, peteh beans are a common ingredient, so you can find peteh beans probably at your local Asian supermarket. Look for them in the frozen section. I prefer the frozen ones over the canned peteh beans.

Peteh (pete or petai in Indonesian) beans in strings at a food market in Indonesia

How to cook Sambal Goreng Udang Peteh

It will not surprise you that we are going to start with making the spice paste (bumbu) for Sambal Goreng Udang Peteh.

Indonesian Sambal Goreng Udang Peteh, fried spicy chilli shrimp with peteh beans ingredients

Roughly chop shallot, garlic and red chillies. Add to food processor and combine with shrimp paste (trassi), sambal ulek, chopped palm sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until a smooth paste forms and set aside.

Spice paste (bumbu) for Sambal Goreng Udang Peteh, Indonesian fried chili shrimp with peteh beans

Next step is to cut the galangal root in slices, cut ends of lemongrass stalks, remove outer layers and bruise lemongrass stalks with the back of your knife.

Heat oil in a wok over medium heat and add spice paste (bumbu), sliced galangal root, bruised lemongrass stalks, torn kaffir lime leaves and salam leaves and fry for 15 minutes while stirring now and then.

Frying Sambal Goreng Udang Peteh, Indonesian fried chili shrimp with peteh beans, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves

Add shrimp and peteh beans and fry over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until shrimps are cooked. Keep an eye on the shrimp and taste after 4 minutes. You don't want to cook them too long, otherwise they will become tough and dry.

Add 50ml water and simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove lemongrass stalks, kaffir lime leaves and salam leaves before serving if you prefer.

Serve with steamed white rice (Nasi Putih), steamed or fried bok choy and lime slices.

Plate with Kare Cumi (squid curry) Sambal Goreng Udang Peteh (fried chili shrimp with peteh beans), Nasi Putih (white rice) and steamed bok choy

Ingredients for 4 people

For the spice paste (bumbu):

• 1 large shallot

• 3 garlic cloves

• 3 red chillies (lombok merah), optional 1 Thai bird’s eye chilli (cabe rawit) for extra heat

• 1 teaspoon fermented shrimp paste (trassi)

• 1 tablespoon chilli paste (sambal ulek)

• 20gr palm sugar (gula djawa)

• Pepper and salt to taste

For the shrimp and beans:

• 400gr large raw peeled shrimps

• 100gr peteh beans

• 5cm galangal root (laos)

• 2 lemongrass stalks (sereh)

• 4 kaffir lime leaves (daun djeruk perut), leaves torn

• 2 salam leaves (daun salam)

• 50ml vegetable oil (coconut, peanut, sunflower)

• 50ml water

Instructions

• First, make the spice paste (bumbu). Chop shallot, garlic and red chillies roughly. Add to food processor and combine with shrimp paste (trassi), sambal ulek, chopped palm sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until a smooth paste forms and set aside.

• Cut galangal root in slices, cut ends of lemongrass stalks, remove outer layers and bruise lemongrass stalks with the back of your knife.

• Heat oil in a wok over medium heat and add spice paste (bumbu), sliced galangal root, bruised lemongrass stalks, torn kaffir lime leaves and salam leaves and fry for 15 minutes while stirring now and then.

• Add shrimp and peteh beans and fry over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until shrimps are cooked.

• Add 50ml water and simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove lemongrass stalks, kaffir lime leaves and salam leaves before serving if you prefer.

• Serve with steamed white rice (Nasi Putih), steamed or fried bok choy and lime slices.