This sambal works well in a Malalysian Malay dish called nasi lemak, often eaten for breakfast. Nasi lemak consists of rice cooked in coconut milk served with the sambal below, cucumber slices, a hard boiled egg and fried dried anchovies.
The sambal is delicious stir fried with green beans or spinach too.
These stir fried beans are easy and fast to make once you have the sambal paste made. The bonus of making your own paste is you can adjust the spiciness to whatever spice level suits you.
If you don’t have any sambal made and you are not up for making it, simply substitute the sambal with a finely chopped red chilli.
This makes one serving. Adjust amounts according to your needs.
Fried Sambal Green Beans
Ingredients
170 grams fresh green beans, ends trimmed and sliced in 1 - 1/2 inch lengths
1 small red or brown onion, peeled and chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 heaping tsp sambal (recipe below)
1 tbs No fish sauce (or Redboat/Son fish sauce)
Method
Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Heat a non stick ceramic frying pan to a medium low heat. Add the onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cover and saute for several minutes. Meanwhile. trim and slice the grean beans. Add the beans and No fish sauce, remove the cover, stir and increase the heat. Saute for a couple of minutes. Serve hot.
Sambal
Ingredients
1 small red onion,peeled and chopped
30 grams fresh red chillies, soaked in hot water for 5 mintues
7 grams dried red chillies,soaked in boiling hot water
3 cloves garlic,peeled and chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, ends trimmed, using bottom 3-4 inches
1 inch fresh turmeric, peeled and roughly chopped
1 inch galangal, sliced
2 tbs avocado or coconut oil
1/4 tsp Herbies tamarind paste (Strong Indian tamarind. If using Thai tamarind, use more)
1 tbs + 2 tsp coconut sugar
1 tbs No fish sauce (or Redboat/Son fish sauce)
1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
Method
Rinse and soak the dried chilles in a small bowl.
Bring a sauce pan to a boil and add a small glass jar. Boil for about 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat. Remove the jar with tongs and place on the counter to air dry. Add the lid the hot water for several minutes. Remove with tongs and place on the counter, inside facing upwards.
Peel and roughly chop the garlic and onion. Trim the bottom of the lemon grass and use the bottom 3-4 inches of the stalk. Bash with the side of knife. Chop into 1/2 inch lengths. Add to a twister jar along with the soaked chillies and their soaking water, turmeric and galangal. Blend until you have a smooth paste.
Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan. Add in the sambal paste and simmer on a low heat, stirring constantly for 15-20 minutes.
Add in the tamarind paste, coconut sugar, No fish sauce and salt. Continue to cook on a very low heat until the oil separates from the paste.
Carefully fill the jar. Seal the lid and let it cool to room temperature on the counter. Store in the refrigerator.
Serve with rice, use in stir fries or add as a condiment with Malaysian Laksa noodle soups.
