Sambal Bendi

This is a home favourite, because we love our home-grown okra. Try to use large red chillies in this dish because they will impart a better red colour to the dish. In our photographed dish, we only had little red chilli padi available. By using lots of these, you can create the delicious spicy-hot flavour but the sauce might lack its intense red colour. Using Gula Melaka, a Malaysian brown palm sugar, will also change the colour.

What you need…

About 15 okra spears, sliced

For the spice paste (bumbu)…

Juice of 5 Kasturi limes

1 to 2 teaspoons of Gula Melaka or white sugar

1 stem of Serai (lemon grass), pounded

5 large Chillis

1 medium Onion

A little water

Oil for stir-frying

• Pound or blend all of the 'bumbu' ingredients.
• Stir-fry over high heat the sliced okra spears. If stir-frying, you might require a little water. Remove from heat when cooked.
• Stir-fry the bumbu over medium heat. Continue to cook until the oil separates from the cooked spice paste.
• Add the okra to the spice mix over heat. Mix well.