Sambal Okra Recipe

When I was a child and doing homework in my room, when I smelled a delicious yet pungent smell wafting from the kitchen, I always got excited because I knew that meant one thing, my favorite dish was being prepared for dinner by my mom, sambal okra.

Be Prepared to Have Your Taste Buds Blown Away

In Malaysia, sambal, a type of shrimp paste is one of those sauces that is often used in preparations of many dishes like sambal okra, sambal prawns, sambal squid and more. I still remember the first time I prepared this for my bf, he said it was very “ethnic”, ha and I didn’t know whether that was good or bad. While it may be for some, to me it’s delicious so if you want to try an authentic and very simple dish, try the recipe below!

Ingredients

• One pack of okra
• 4 red chillis (add more if you like it spicier)
• 1 nub of ginger
• 3 pieces of garlic
• 1 tablespoon of balacan (this can be purchased in the asian grocery stores, I specifically picked up the one from Malaysia)
• Pinch of salt
• 8 shrimp

Directions

1. Preparation: Blend chilis, garlic, ginger with a bit of oil until it becomes a paste
2. Wash and slice okra and set aside
3. In a wok add oil to heat
4. Toast balacan in pan
5. Add paste and some water
6. Add okra and cook thoroughly
7. Add shrimp and cook together
8. Stir fry until all is cooked

Easy, right?! Serve with rice and have a taste of my home, Malaysia.