So what is #ProteinNovember? In attempt to encourage more Asians to eat more protein, I will be coming out with four different recipes on how you can have your protein. I will also give a little tell-a-story on why this protein source is awesome for you on a separate video together with my other brand, 1-Habit Nutrition.
Why am I doing this? Because protein rocks. It’s important for your body but sadly as Asians we just don’t get enough of it or we don’t get enough of the better quality ones (yes, cik, ayam goreng does not count).
The government is doing quite a lot to push healthy eating — so this is my bit in contributing to the society. You got to know your protein to eat protein.
So to kick off this series, I’m playing around with prawns! Do make sure you watch my other videos below to learn more about my favourite macronutrient and how you can make the most out of it. Let’s go!
Anything assam reminds me of my fav dish, assam pedas. C’mon, if you’ve ever lived in Asia, I’m sure you know what assam pedas is. The secret ingredient for assam pedas is of course, the assam. Or tamarind.
This recipe is crazy easy. I mean you only need 3 main ingredients. Even though they’re easy, they’re super delicious because the tamarind gives the prawn bold and strong flavours while the sweetness from natural honey and the natural sweetness of prawn makes it super yummy.
As a matter of fact, prawns are extremely low in calories and per 100g of prawns give you about 24g of protein. That’s crazy awesome right?
I used tiger prawns in this recipe. You can use any, really. Tiger prawns are probably available in every supermarket in Singapore. You can even go for king prawns or something larger. That’ll taste great. 300g of shelled prawns will yield about 200g of cooked prawns so this recipe is easy to make and makes two 100g (or fist sized) serves. If you want to prepare more for the week, by all means add more prawns.
Of course, you can also leave the shell on for a more flavourful dish. But I like to peel it off.
I also use extra virgin coconut oil in this recipe. I find that the coconutty taste of the oil gives a good cherry on top of the prawns in the end.
If you really love prawns, and you’re bored of the good ‘ol chicken breasts for your protein source, give this a go. This can easily be the best prawn dish you’ve every tasted.
#ProteinPrep: Assam Prawns
Makes – 2
Time needed – 10 mins + 15 mins marinate time
Cost – ~$3.45
Here’s what you need:
- 300g shelled prawns, peeled and deveined
- 2 tbsp tamarind pulp
- 1 tsp pure honey
- A pinch of Sea Salt
- 5 tbsp water
- 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
Here’s how you do it:
- Begin by mixing the tamarind pulp with water. Press on the pulp to release the juice. Set aside.
- Mix prawns and tamarind pulp, along with honey and a pinch of sea salt. Mix well.
- Heat non-stick skillet with oil, add the prawns and cook for about 1-2 mins per side.
- Remove from heat and serve or prep.
How much this costs:
*Keep in mind that this numbers are a rough guide. It depends on where you buy it and when. At the end of the day it’s possible to eat healthy without breaking the bank. Also, ~ denotes the items that should already be in your pantry for a long time or it’s a very small amount.
- 300g prawns, peeled and deveined – $6.60
- 1-2 tbsp tamarind pulp ~
- 1 tsp pure honey – $0.10
- A pinch of Himalayan Pink Sea Salt ~
- 4 tbsp water ~
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil – $0.20
Total price = ~$6.90
Price per serve = ~ $3.45
Nutrition Information
Per serve —204 calories, 7.4g fats, 12g carbohydrates, 24.4g protein
