Kerabu Pucuk Paku: Fiddle Fern Salad

Ingredients

4 fresh long red chilies, halved
2 teaspoons roasted shrimp paste
2 teaspoons sugar, plus 1-3 teaspoons to taste
4 tablespoons dried shrimp, soaked in boiling hot water for 10
minutes and strained
Juice from 1 lime or 3 limau kasturi/kalamansi limes, plus
more to taste
4 tablespoons keresik or desiccated coconut, toasted and pounded
6 tablespoons fresh coconut cream (Santan pekat) or canned coconut cream, plus more to taste
200g cooked medium sized prawns, shells removed
300g fiddle fern, blanched in salted boiling water for 10 seconds, drain off excess water and set aside in
a bowl
Salt, to taste

Method 

1. In a mortar and pestle or food processor, pound red chili to a pulp. Add shrimp paste, soaked dried shrimp and sugar and pound them until they are fine. If you are using the food processor just grind them to a smooth sambal.

2. Transfer paste to a bowl with fiddle fern, lime, prawns, coconut, coconut cream, and season with salt to taste. Toss well to combine, taste to check seasonings and add more sugar, coconut milk, lime juice or salt if desired.

3. Spoon into serving bowls and enjoy.

N.B. If unavailable you can replace fiddle fern with spinach.