Indonesian Curry Prawns 印尼咖喱虾- Hee Hee Ha Ha #3

I am not sure of the origins of this dish. But it's a popular prawn dish in Malaysia's Chinese restaurants.
Maybe due to the use of shrimp paste in this curry dish, I am not sure. It could just be a name for this dish.
So, if you know of the origins, do let me know.

This prawn dish is one of my favourites to order. When I was pregs with Reuben, I craved for curries, soupy curries. I ordered this dish very often and drenched my rice with it. That's pure bliss. And now... Reuben actually loves curries. Serious!

I cooked this dish, the way I tasted it at a local restaurant here. There are many versions out there as each restaurant does it their own way. It's soupy, brothy prawn curry that isn't hot, err... to me it isn't hot. It might be otherwise for you if you can't take heat. My hubby said I have a numb tongue, LOL.

Indonesian Curry Prawns
Tasted and recreated by WendyinKK

500gm prawns, feelers snipped short
1/2 red onion, cut into wedges
2 shallots
2 cloves of garlic
2 red chilli
2cm belacan (abt 1 tsp)
1 Tbsp Indian meat curry powder
1 lemon grass, bruised
2 stalks of curry leaf, leafs detached
200ml coconut milk
Chicken stock powder to taste

1. Grind shallot, garlic, chilli and belacan together.
2. Heat wok until very hot and put in onions. Give it a few tosses then put in about 1 tsp of oil, just a little oil will do. Toss it until some parts look mildly charred. If it smokes, it'll be GREAT! Remove and set aside.
3. Put in 2 Tbsp oil (or more) and saute the chilli paste until it looks glossy. Put in curry powder, half the curry leaf and lemon grass, cook it for a while. Put in 1 cup of water, bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Season with chicken stock powder and make it moderately over salted.
4. Add in prawns and coconut milk. Gently stir it and let it come back to a boil until the prawns curl up and turn pink all over.
5. Return the onion wedges and the rest of curry leaf to the wok, stir and dish up.