I have to admit that I used to hate lady's fingers and ponder why would anyone consume such a vegetable that is named after 'my' fingers with slimy secretion from the core...
But as I grown 'wiser' and start to dine out more often, I have been put into situations that it was not nice to waste food. So I ate lady's fingers. Tempura style, fish curry style and sambal style... And actually it is quite a nice vegetable. It doesn't has any pungent taste and it is has a good texture. So at about the age of 30, I accepted lady's fingers.
During my annual school trips to Malacca, I am served with this wonderful sambal lady's fingers at a Peranakan restaurant. It is out of this world and I think I could finish a bowl of plain rice with it. Recently, I craved for it. I googled and did not managed to find a decent recipe. Hence, I recalled the taste and created my own recipe.
I am very pleased with the outcome and I am happy to share it with my family. Hopefully my sister can add some comments here to convince you that it is really good. :)
Recipe (Good for 5 servings)
Ingredients
6 Lady's fingers, washed and cut away top and ends
2 tbsp Dried shrimps, soaked in hot water for 30 min
6 Big Red chilli
2 shallots
2 garlic
1 inch Balacan
2 Limes
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Soya sauce
Oil for frying
Steps:
Using a food processor, mince the soaked dried shrimps to medium fine. Remove.
Blend chili, garlic and shallots into a fine paste. Remove.
In a heated wok, add balacan and fry lightly till fragrant. Takes about 2 minutes. Remove.
In the same wok, add 2 tbsp of oil. Fry the chili paste and balacan till well-cooked and fragrant. Remove.
In the same wok, add 2 tbsp of oil. Fry the minced dried shrimps till fragrant and oil bubbles.
Add in chili paste and seasoning. Mix well. Remove the dried shrimp sambal chilli from heat.
In a pot of boiling water, add 1/4 tsp salt and oil each. Boil the lady's fingers till turn vibrant green. Takes about 3 minutes.
Cut the lady's fingers into 3 parts. Plate it and top it with fried dried shrimp sambal chilli. Squeeze lime over the dish. Serve hot.