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Home / Cuisine / Nyonya / Sambal Steamed Okra

Sambal Steamed Okra

Nyonya, Side Dish, Vegetables

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This piquant Sambal Steamed Okra with a spicy sambal belacan and soy sauce dressing is full of umami flavor. Takes only 20 minutes to prepare.

Sambal Steamed Okra with a spicy sambal belacan and soy sauce dressing.

In Malaysia, okra or ladies’ fingers as it is commonly known are often added to spicy and tangy fish curries. They are also frequently cooked like the ever popular Kangkung Belacan stir fry. Yet another popular okra dish is this Sambal Steamed Okra which takes only about 20 minutes to prepare if you have Sambal Belacan on hand.

There are many variations to the sambal dressing. The one I am showing you today is my Mom’s recipe. It is really tasty and I cook this dish often because the guys enjoy it very much. If you do not have sambal belacan on hand and wish for a shortcut, I have you covered. Please check out my Spicy Okra Salad to see what I used as a substitute. 😉

Delicious and piquant Sambal Steamed Okra.

Dried shrimps are a key ingredient in this dressing. They have a very concentrated flavor and so a little goes a long way. Chopping and frying makes it fragrant and a little crispy, giving the dressing a little bit of crunch and texture.


Choosing Okra

Finally, a word on the okra. Mature okra can be woody. Always choose small, bright green colored ones. These are often more tender. Avoid the ones with the pointy ends broken off. This usually means that someone broke it off to test if that okra has past its prime. The grocer does not like people doing that because it spoils the lot for others. Simply use your judgement and select the ones you want and they should be just fine.

Similar Products Used in Making This Sambal Steamed Okra

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy here.

Calphalon Contemporary Hard-Anodized Saucepan with Steamer Insert, 4 1/2-quart
Cuisipro Stainless Steel Measuring Cup and Spoon Set

Delicious and piquant Sambal Steamed Okra.

Sambal Steamed Okra

This piquant Sambal Steamed Okra with a spicy sambal belacan and soy sauce dressing is full of umami flavor. Takes only 20 minutes to prepare.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Malaysian
Keyword: sambal okra, sambal steamed okra, steamed okra
Servings: 4
Calories: 120kcal
Author: Linda Ooi

INGREDIENTS

  • 12 oz okra / ladies' fingers (340g)
  • 1 tbsp dried shrimps (washed and soaked for 10 minutes) (8g)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 tbsp sambal belacan
  • 1 tsp sweet soy sauce
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp lime juice

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Rinse and drain okra. Cut off the stalks and trim the ends. Place in a steaming rack.
  • Drain dried shrimp and chop coarsely.
  • In a small saucepan, heat vegetable oil over low heat. Add dried shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and continue to stir fry for another 30 seconds.
  • Place sambal belacan in a small bowl. Transfer cooked dried shrimps and garlic into the bowl. Add sweet soy sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and lime juice. Mix well and set aside.
  • Place okra in a steamer and steam for 7 to 8 minutes. When pierced with a fork, okra should be tender. Transfer steamed okra to a shallow bowl.
  • Spoon dressing over steamed okra. Serve immediately.

VIDEO

NUTRITION

Calories: 120kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @MalaysianChineseKitchen or tag #MalaysianChineseKitchen!

Serving Suggestion

This Sambal Steamed Okra is best served with lots of steamed rice. Do give it a try.

Sambal Steamed Okra ready to be served.

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April 24, 2017 · 5 Comments

About Linda

Linda is a food writer and photographer who hails from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She now lives in Colorado, USA. Her other blogs are Roti n Rice and Tea Tattler.

Malaysian Chinese Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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Comments

  1. Vun says

    June 12, 2017 at 11:29 pm

    5 stars
    Love that dish. Very yummy.

    Reply
  2. Shirin Rally Ismail says

    March 18, 2018 at 11:41 pm

    5 stars
    Looks yummy

    Reply
  3. Christy says

    June 24, 2018 at 2:06 am

    It works really well for me

    Reply
  4. P. Oei says

    May 2, 2020 at 10:17 pm

    Tried this at dinner last night – super delicious! It’s going into regular rotation in our household! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Linda says

      June 3, 2020 at 11:23 am

      Glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe.

      Reply

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