GLUTEN-FREE SAMBAL GORENG BUNCIS (INDONESIAN GREEN BEANS WITH A SPICY SAUCE)
These grilled, green beans with an Indonesian-style sauce make a fabulously spicy partner to meat, poultry, fish or tofu and are a delicious accompaniment to rice dishes. The sauce can be made well ahead and refrigerated until ready for use.
Rosie
SAMBAL GORENG BUNCIS (INDONESIAN GREEN BEANS WITH A SPICY SAUCE)
Serves 8 as a side dish
8 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon trassi or balachan
4 spring onions, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon galangal powder
30 gm fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 teaspoons tamarind puree
2 stalks lemon grass, tender part only, sliced
2 teaspoons coconut or brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons ground coriander
3 red birds eye chillies, seeded
4 tablespoons macadamia or vegetable oil
400 ml coconut milk
4 salam or bay leaves
550 gm green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon extra macadamia or vegetable oil
Chilli threads and/or spring onion julienne to serve, optional
Combine garlic, trassi or balachan, spring onions, galangal powder, tamarind puree, lemon grass, coconut or brown sugar, salt, ground coriander, chillies and oil in a blender. Process until a fine paste is formed.
Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the spice paste. Cook stirring often for 4-5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and salam or bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often until the mixture has thickened. The sauce will keep for several days in the fridge.
When ready to serve, preheat the grill to high.
Gently re-heat the sauce over a low heat on the stove or in the microwave.
Toss the beans in the extra oil and place in one layer on one or two baking trays. Place under the preheated grill and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the beans have charred a little and are just undercooked as they will continue to cook in their own heat.
Spoon the sauce over the beans to serve and top with chilli threads and/or spring onion julienne if using.