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Sambal Okra Recipe
This is one of the best okra recipes. Okra is also called Ladies’ Fingers in England and Commonwealth countries.
Sambal okra is made with fresh okra, sambal (chili and Malaysian belacan or shrimp paste) plus shrimp.
It’s my favorite vegetable dish. It’s so healthy, delicious and great with rice.
Okra
Okra is actually a plant in the mallow family.
The edible green seed pods has tiny hairs on the surface. After okras are cooked, they become sticky.
In the south part of United States, fried okras are very popularly.
In South Asia and Southeast Asia, okras are used in curries and stir fries.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe is only 50 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Sambal Okra
Ingredients
- 10 fresh okras (ladies fingers, sliced diagonally)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 5-6 shrimp (shelled and deveined)
- 5 fresh red chilies (blend them)
- 1 teaspoon toasted Belacan (Malaysian Shrimp Paste)
- 1 red chili (sliced)
- cooking oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat up a wok and add the cooking oil. Stir fry the garlic and add in the shrimp.
- Add the okra (ladies' fingers), blended chilies, toasted belacan and salt. Stir fry for a few minutes until the okra becomes sticky and cooked. Toss in the sliced chili, dish out and serve hot.
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
I sure am going to make the sambal okra. I love okra and sambal
I add a slice of dried tamarind/assam to prevent the goopiness/slime
Hi Rasa,
I have been following your blog for a while. Your recipes are great :). I love Lady Fingers Belacan. There’s a Malaysian restaurant near me and I order it whenever this dish whenever I go there. This is a very simple dish to make; however, I am not able to find the Belacan (Malaysian Shrimp Paste). I was born in the Philippines but came to San Francisco when I was 6. There is shrimp paste that we use but it is slightly different from the Malaysian Shrimp Paste. Do you have any idea where I can locate this Malaysian Shrimp Paste and what brand should I be looking for? Again, I would think that it would be easy to find it here in SF (we have such a diverse community). But I have gone to two huge Asian markets and have had no luck. Please help :). Thank you!
You can find Malaysian belacan or shrimp paste at 99 Ranch. You have to look carefully it’s a block and wrapped in paper.
My belacan has gotten hard as a rock. How can I get it ‘soft’ so I can used it? Any idea. Can’t even chop it with a big knife.
You need new ones.
i just cooked this dish for the very first time today.
yours doesn’t look that sticky though.
any advice to reduce the stickiness a bit?
thanks!
great website!
This is the kind of dish I like. Very simple. Thanks for sharing!
Wow, this looks good! I love ladies fingers but it’s very expensive to order at Malaysian restaurants. I will try your recipe.