Sambal with Fried Tofu & Green Beans
This recipe uses the same sambal as the Sambal Sotong (squid), and is really tangy and spicy. Add as many chillies as you can handle! For a vegan version use tamarind paste rather than prawn paste. serves 2
For the Sambal:
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 white onion
1/2 tsp each of salt and sugar
6 dried birds eye chillies (or more to taste)
1 tsp shrimp paste or tamarind paste
4 cloves garlic
1 stalk lemongrass, chopped
thumb-sized piece of ginger
Place all the above in a blender to create a smooth paste. Then add 1 tbsp each of soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, lime juice & tomato ketchup.
1 cm depth vegetable oil in your pan or wok
200g firm tofu, cut into cubes and marinated in 1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp each corn flour and rice flour, blended
150g green beans, trimmed and halved
2 cakes noodles, covered in boiling water and left to soak for a few minutes before draining.
Tip the tofu into the flours and stir well to coat.
Heat the vegetable oil in the pan/wok. Once really hot, fry the tofu in 2 batches until golden on all sides. Keep warm.
Drain the oil and in the same wok fry the sambal until really hot and aromatic. Add the beans and cook for a couple of minutes until crunchy but tender.
Place half the noodles in each bowl, top with the sambal and scatter with the tofu.
Serve with crushed peanuts and extra soy sauce.