Vegetarian Pineapple Sambal

I simply love to eat especially hot and spicy food with a tinge of sweet and sour. As I can hardly resist the lure of food, it's difficult for me to control my waistline after giving birth to my third child. Thank God that I'm tall and still manage to maintain exactly on the line of normal BMI. I used to be able to eat enormous portion without feeling guilty or worrying about the kind of food that I took and still stayed lean. It's history now. Must remind myself not to pile up the plate, eat more veges, oh this is too high in calories, that contains too much  fat/cholesterol or this is too meaty. Therefore I seldom cook my favourite food to avoid having to restrain myself from eating extra. Force to control your urge for your favourite food is definitely not satisfying. May as well don't cook it at all. So I'll give myself a break, just cook my favourite and eat my heart out once in a blue moon.

Ingredients :  1 pineapple (sweet and sour type e.g Morris pineapple- cut into triangle slices , 2 lemongrass (smashed) , 2 onions, 10 shallots, 1" galangal, 3 candlenuts, 3 pips garlic, little tumeric (pound) , 5 dried chillies and 5 fresh chillies ( pound/blend finely), 1 star anise , 2" cinnamon bark, 1  tbsp oyster sauce or tspn vegetarian belacan (optional-can omit if can't find this),1 cup thick coconut milk , salt and white sugar or brown sugar to taste ( I prefer the sweeter version) , oil for stir fry

1. Stir fry the pounded ingredients with oil, put in the lemongrass, star anise and cinnamon bark. Continue to stir fry until red chilli oil ooze out. Add oyster sauce and continue for 1 minute.
2. Put in the slices of pineapple. Mix well. Then add coconut milk. Cook for a while till bubbling. Add in salt and sugar. Cook for a few more minutes.  Wait for a while before serving. Taste better if left for a few hours. If you prefer to eat while hot, you can reheat it.

** for non-vegetarian version, could add prawns and squids, and replace vegetarian belacan with non-vegetarian belacan (shrimp paste)


Prescription : No Food, No Life