Sweet Potato Leaves in Spicy Coconut Gravy
Today's RECIPE is quintessential in a Peranakan household. Huan Chu Heok Masak Lemak/Sweet Potato Leaves in Spicy Coconut Gravy is a favorite of many. Cubed sweet potatoes may be added to this dish but we have added cubed pumpkin instead because of personal preference. Other vegetables (kangkung/french beans/long beans/cabbage) may be used to cook this dish as well.
Recipe by Mama Ding
Total Time | 1 hr 15 mins
Prep Time | 30 mins
Cook Time | 45 mins
Servings : 4 - 6
Ingredients
400 g young sweet potato leaves
300 g pumpkin or sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
200 g shrimps, shelled and deveined (keep the prawn shells for the prawn stock)
2 cups prawn stock*
2 pieces of tamarind peel
250 ml coconut milk
For the spice paste, to be blended/pounded ~80 g fresh red chillies
20 g dried red chillies, soaked, drained and cut into pieces
120 g shallots, peeled
20 g garlic, peeled
10 g turmeric, peeled
20 g galangal, peeled
10 g ginger, peeled
15 g lemongrass, slice and use the white part only
15 g buah keras (candlenuts), can substitute with macadamia nuts
15 g belachan (dried shrimp paste), toasted
Method
01 Make the spice paste. Blend or pound all the ingredients for the spice paste into a fine paste.
In a wok/pan, heat up 3 tbsp oil and saute the spice paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until the spice paste has turned a darker color and the oil separates; about 20 mins.
02 Add the prawn stock and tamarind peel. Bring to the boil and then add pumpkin/sweet potato cubes. Cover and simmer until the pumpkin/sweet potato cubes have softened, about 10mins. Remove cover.
03 Add the coconut milk, stirring while adding. When the gravy starts boiling, add the shrimps and cook for 2 mins. Add the sweet potato leaves and cook for 2 more mins or until the prawns are cooked through. Taste and season with salt and sugar, if needed.
04 If you prefer it spicier, add some chopped bird's eye chillies. Turn off heat and dish up to serve.
Notes
To prepare prawn stock ~ Fry the prawn shells and heads with 2 tbsp oil in a deep pan/wok over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes until very aromatic.
Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and allow the stock to simmer for 5 mins. Drain and reserve the liquid.
Some like to add dried shrimps to this dish. If using, soak and drain half cup of dried shrimps and then pound/blend. Add to the cooked spice paste in step 01 before adding prawn stock. Stir fry until fragrant then add prawn stock and follow the rest of the steps as above.