Lobsters in Yellow Sauce Recipe

Lobsters in Yellow Sauce Recipe

(Udang Pantung Kuning Recipe)

4 small lobsters, about 500g each

Spice paste:

5 red chilies

3 cloves garlic

7 shallots

2-inch piece of turmeric

2-inch piece of ginger

4 candlenuts (buah keras) or 8 macadamia nuts

1½ teaspoons ground coriander

½ teaspoon shrimp paste (belachan), toasted

1 tomato

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons tamarind pulp

3 stalk lemongrass, bruised

5 cups water

2 Kaffir lime leaves (limau purut)

White vinegar

4 cups coconut milk

Fried shallots to garnish

Method:

Blend all the ingredients together to make a paste.  Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil, add the spice paste and the tamarind pulp and stir until it is well combined.  Add one stalk of lemongrass and cook over moderate heat for about 5 minutes.  Set aside the resulting paste.  Bring the 5 cups of water to a boil.  Put the whole lobsters into the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.  Do not discard the water but remove the lobsters and plunge them in iced water for 1 minute, and then drain and cut the lobsters to remove the heat.  Add the spice paste, the remaining two stalks of lemongrass, the kaffir lime leaves, and the vinegar to the water in which the lobsters were boiled.  Bring to a rapid boil and cook until the stock has reduced to 2 cups.  Add the coconut milk to the stock and simmer for 10 minutes.  Strain the stock into a pan, add the lobster meat, and simmer for 1 minute.  Serve.