Urap (Steamed Vegetables with Coconut)

Ingredients:

240g fresh string beans
240g bean sprouts
4 carrots, julienned
225g tinned bamboo shoots
1/2 small white cabbage
140g freshly-grated coconut
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Sambal Olek
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp shrimp paste (belachan), fried for 2 minutes in a dry frying pan

Method:

Wash the beans sprouts and drain then transfer to a bowl, cover with boiling water then drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside to drain.

Trim the string beans then cut at an angle into bite-sized pieces. Add to a pan of lightly-salted water and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until just tender (they should remain crisp to the bite). Drain, rinse under cold water and set aside.

Cook the carrots in another pan of lightly-salted boiling water for about 8 minutes, or until just tender. In the meantime remove and discard the cabbage core and shred the leaves. Blanch the cabbage in a pan of boiling salted water then drain and refresh with cold water.

Cut the bamboo shoots into strips about the same size as the beans. Combine the prepared vegetables in a bowl and set aside.

Add the grated coconut to another bowl then add the onion, sambal olek, salt, lime juice and shrimp paste . Mix thoroughly to combine then combine the paste with the vegetables (reserve some for garnish).

Transfer the vegetables to a steamer and cook for about 6 minutes. Plate-out the steamed vegetables on a serving plate and garnish with the reserved coconut mixture. This can be served as a starter or as an accompaniment.