Malaysian Recipe : Vegetarian Sambal

Preparation time: 45 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 100 g soya flakes
• ½ cup tamarind juice, from 50 g tamarind
• 2 pcs limau purut leaves
• 2 pcs kunyit leaves
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ½ cup oil
• Salt to taste

A: Chopped finely

• 100 g preserved mustard (tai tau choy), soaked for 1 hour
• 200 g button mushrooms
• 5 pcs Chinese mushrooms, soak and remove the stalks
• 150 g carrots
• 100 g preserved salted radish (choy poh)

B: Ground to a paste

• 3 stalks lemon grass
• 100 g ginger
• 20 g dried chilies
• 20 g turmeric root
• 10-12 red chilies
• 50 g galangal

Garnish with:

• 100g toasted peanuts, coarsely ground
• 20 g sesame seeds
• Shredded chilies

Directions:

1. Soak soya flakes in hot water for 10 mins, drain and set aside.
2. With oil in the wok, fry ground ingredients B till fragrant.
3. Add in soya flakes. Then, ingredients A, the tamarind juice, limau purut leaves and kunyit leaves. Stir-fry on low heat until it is dry.
4. Add salt and sugar to taste.
5. When ready to serve, sprinkle on nuts and sesame seeds, and garnish with shredded chilies.

Tips: Store in clean containers when cooled. It is delicious wether served hot or cold.