A flavorful spice paste makes this Bendi Goreng Belacan (Okra Belacan Stir Fry) a must try. It is a delicious way to enjoy okra.
Stir fry vegetables with a sambal spice paste is very popular in Malaysia. An essential ingredient is this spice paste is belacan, a type of shrimp paste. For the uninitiated, belacan can be pungent. Those of us who grew up with it find it very flavorful and even fragrant.
Belacan Stir Fries
Several kinds of vegetables may be used in this tasty stir fry. The most popular being Kangkung Belacan and Green Beans Belacan Stir Fry. Equally popular is this Bendi Goreng Belacan (Okra Belacan Stir Fry). Other vegetables include long beans, snake beans, yam (sweet potato) leaves, snake beans, eggplant, gai lan, and even asparagus. This sambal spice paste is truly versatile and goes well with many different kinds of vegetables. We enjoy them all and it is really hard to pick a favorite.
Ingredients for this Sambal Spice Paste
You need 5 ingredients to make this spice paste.
1. Red chilies/peppers (the spicy kind)
2. Shallots or you can use onion as a substitute
3. Garlic
4. Dried shrimps or dried anchovies
5. Belacan (shrimp paste)
This spice paste may be made ahead. You can make a big batch and freeze in portions sufficient for each stir fry. If you do this, then you only need to prepare the vegetables when you are ready to cook.
Main Dishes That Go Well With Bendi Goreng Belacan
Steamed meats and meat cooked in soy sauce are particularly good with this spicy side dish. Such dishes complement each other. They include…
1. Kong Tau Yew Bak (Braised Pork in Soy Sauce
2. Steamed Pork with Salted Eggs
3. Char Siu (Chinese Barbecue Pork)
4. Braised Chicken with Dark Soy Sauce and Mushrooms
5. Asian Pork Pot Roast
Homegrown Okra
This Bendi Goreng Belacan (Okra Belacan Stir Fry) recipe has been around literally forever but I am sharing it with you because this year I have an amazing crop of okra a.k.a. ladies finger in my new vegetable bed. I can’t wait to show you more pictures of this new addition to my vegetable garden. I am currently working on the post on my other blog and will put the link here once the post is published. Please do check back to see my amazing okra “trees”.
Update September 30, 2020: The New Addition to Raised-Bed Vegetable Garden is now live. Please hop over to my other blog to see my amazing okra “trees”.
Similar Products Used in Making This Bendi Goreng Belacan
This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy here.
Asian Kitchen Carbon Steel Wok Stir Fry Pan, 12-inch
Classic Series Carbon Steel Wok, 14-inch
Stainless Steel Professional Wok Turner Spatula
Bendi Goreng Belacan (Okra Belacan Stir Fry)
Ingredients
- 1½ lb okra (kacang bendi) (675g)
- 5 red chilies (seeded and cut into pieces)
- 10 shallots or 1 medium onion (peeled and cut into pieces)
- 3 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 2 tbsp dried shrimp (washed and soaked for 10 minutes to soften) (30g)
- ¾ inch cube belacan (shrimp paste), toasted
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 to 4 tbsp water
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Rinse and drain kacang bendi/okra. Remove the top and tail ends. Cut at a diagonal into 1/8 inch slices.
- Blend red chilies, shallots, garlic, dried shrimps, and belacan with 3 tablespoons of water into a paste.
- In a large pan or wok, heat vegetable oil. Saute blended spice paste over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until it is fragrant.
- Add kacang bendi/okra and fry on high heat for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and cooked through.
- Add water and salt to taste.
- Remove and serve immediately with steamed rice.
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