Wait … Don’t leave. Stick with me! I know the contents of the photo look daunting to but Sambal goreng is one of those dishes that is so deliciously rewarding. If you pick up a few ingredients in your local Asian store it’s worth the effort. This is my take on it. Sambal is an Indonesian chili paste and traditionally contains shrimp so a store bought option won’t work for a little vegan. Goreng simply means fried. When I make this I normally double up the quantities and make enough to use again.
For the sambal –
10-12 birds eye chilies, soaked in boiling water
A knuckle of ginger
6 shallots
4 cloves of garlic
Additional ingredients:
1 stalk of lemongrass bruised
A large piece of galangal sliced into chunks leaving the skin on. It looks like ginger tastes nothing like it. Has a lemony almost woody taste.
Tamarind paste. You’ll find it in most Asian stories. I took the dried tamarind itself and just soaked a few pieces and then pressed through a sieve to separate the seeds from pulp.
Keep the leftover tamarind juice! Great to add to the dish as needed or just drink as is. It’s lovely and tangy
Tempeh
Tofu
You can just choose to use either tofu or tempeh here. I just like both together. Alternatively you can use only veg or jackfruit is great too.
Green beans
Kecap Manis – a sweet soy sauce you’ll find in all Asian food stores
Coconut sugar
Salt
Lime juice and zest
Pop the ginger, garlic, shallots, chilies and a little water into a food processor
Blitz to a smooth paste and set aside
Cube the tofu and tempeh and fry off in an oiled pan
Steam your green beans
Set the tempeh, tofu and green beans aside
Add the prepared sauce to a heated pan
Place your bruised lemongrass stalk and galangal into sauce and stir through to release their flavour
Add in your tempeh, tofu and green beans and heat through
Season with a shake of coconut sugar, juice of 1 lime, approximately 2 tsp of tamarind paste, salt and a drizzle of kecap manis
Add half a tin of coconut milk and bring back to the boil.
You can more or less coconut milk depending on your heat preference
Not the best measurements as usual so adjust seasoning if needed.
Remove the galangal and lemongrass
In another saucepan prepare your rice. I added lime juice and zest to mine
Serve up with an additional drizzle of coconut milk, fresh coriander and red chilies. Bliss.
Hope you try and enjoy
Love
Louise
x
Im a little vegan 