Pepes Udang (Indonesian Steamed Shrimps)

By Dennis Sim,

These scrumptious shrimps are steamed with fresh herbs and spices in banana leaves or foil wrap, which makes for a healthy and colorful meal. Even if you reduce the amount of salt used, this dish will be tantalizing and enjoyed by all.

(This recipe serves 4)


Ingredients:

* 1 ¼ lb large fresh shrimps
* 3 sliced medium-sized fresh red chilies
* 3 cloves garlic, chopped
* 2 medium eggs
* 2 stalks spring onions
* ½ cup curry leaves or basil leaves
* 1 large piece of banana leaf and/or aluminum foil wrap
* ½ cup cilantro for garnishing
* Salt to taste


Preparation:

1. Using a pair of sharp scissors, trim off the sharp end of the shrimp heads. This will prevent your fingers and hands getting pricked by the sharp shrimp head during your meal. Cut off as much of the shrimp legs as possible without damaging the body.
2. Spring onions – Use only the green part of the spring onions. Cut them into ¼ inch lengths.
3. Beat the eggs up in a bowl together with the spring onions and basil or curry leaves. Add one tsp of salt to the mixture.

Cooking:

1. Preheat a steamer on high temperature.
2. Lay the banana leaf on a large piece of aluminum foil. Put this on a casserole dish or a plate which is at least 2 inches deep. The banana leaf adds extra flavor, but it is not necessary if you cannot find any banana leaves, in which case just use the foil wrap. Some banana leaves tend to leak, so the foil wrap keeps the juices in close contact with the shrimps, which enhances the taste of the shrimps. The foil wrap will also save you some washing!
3. Place the shrimps on the banana leaf or foil wrap. Pull the foil wrap up on all sides, so that it looks like a little boat. Do not close the foil completely at the top.
4. Spoon the mixture of eggs, spring onions and basil/curry leaves over the shrimps. Make sure that this egg mixture covers all the shrimps, as much as possible.
5. Steam the shrimps on high heat for 15 minutes or until they turn pink and the flesh is firm.
6. Serve the shrimps in a serving dish. Make sure all the juices and egg bits from the dish are poured over the shrimps before serving. Add some cilantro for garnishing.
7. Enjoy these shrimps with Indonesian fried rice or plain white rice and some fried vegetables or salad.

Content and image source:
http://southeastasianfood.about.com/od/entreesmainco5/r/IndonSteamShrim.htm