Petai Bendi Sambal Recipe with Kacang Botol 

    If there’s one dish that captures the fiery heart of Malaysian cuisine, it’s Petai Sambal recipe—also known as Malaysian Stink Bean Sambal. Popular across Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, this bold stir-fry brings together the punchy flavours of petai (stink beans), okra (bendi), and sometimes winged beans (kacang botol), all coated in a rich, spicy sambal. Loved for its pungent aroma and addictive taste, petai sambal is a dish that divides opinions—you either fall hard for it or shy away. Served best with hot, fluffy rice, this Authentic Malaysian sambal recipe is a true taste of South-East Asia.     

Petai – Its Origin, Nativity, and Traditional Uses

Petai and Its Origin

    Petai, also called the “stinky bean”, is native to tropical Southeast Asia, especially the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia. In Malaysia, Petai is tossed into sambal with prawns, okra, or winged beans. In Indonesia, it stars as Pete Balado, while in Southern Thailand, it’s Sataw curry. You’ll also find it in Myanmar, Laos, and the southern Philippines. Almost everywhere, it’s paired with chilli, tamarind, and shrimp paste — bold flavours that complement its pungent bite.

*Fun fact: Malaysians say Petai never really leaves you — its strong odour lingers in your system, often making a surprise comeback the next time you walk into the bathroom!

Why You’ll Love This Petai Bendi Sambal

• Authentic Malay sambal flavour, cooked with Petai, Okra & Winged Beans.
• Pairs beautifully with plain steamed rice, fried fish, or even fried noodles.
• Customisable – add prawns, swap beans, or go fully vegetarian.
• Nutritious, antioxidant-rich, and an unforgettable taste experience.

My First Encounters with Petai & Kacang Botol

    When I first landed in Malaysia 18 years ago, the local food scene felt like an adventure I wasn’t ready for. Dining with friends at food courts & restaurants, I would smile, nod, and act like I had eaten well—only to sneak home later, famished. Many of these flavours demanded an acquired taste, and I wasn’t quite there yet.

    Curiosity changed everything. I began to learn. At restaurants, I would quietly note down flavours, then scour the bustling Sunday markets for ingredients I barely knew how to pronounce. Vendors patiently repeated the Malay names until I committed them to memory, and back home, I’d jot them down before researching and experimenting in my kitchen.  Slowly, intimidating ingredients turned into staples.

    Petai —the notorious stinky bean—was one of the hurdles. Its bitterness and pungency nearly sent me running, but today, my whole family looks forward to it.

    Of course, petai has its own initiation ritual: once you eat it, the flavour doesn’t just stop at the plate—it follows you right into the bathroom. First-timers usually get a shock, wondering, ‘Why on earth does it smell like petai in here?’ Nope, nothing’s wrong—it’s just petai cheekily saying, ‘Hello, I’m still here.’ 

    And yes, petai days always mean extra bathroom cleaning duty—because honestly, no air freshener on earth can outsmart that telltale whiff. But the day you stop flinching and just roll with it, that’s when you earn your badge: congratulations, you’re officially a Petai Person.”

Kacang Botol or the Winged Bean

Fresh Winged Bean (Kacang Botol) for Malaysian Sambal Recipe

    And then came Kacang Botol (Winged Bean) — one of the most underrated stars of Malaysian cuisine. My first real encounter was at a buzzing night food court famed for its Ikan Bakar (grilled fish). They’d bring out the smoky fish — often electric ray, grilled with sambal and wrapped in banana leaf — alongside a fiery little plate of Petai, bendi & kacang botol sambal.

    Here’s the fun part: you got to choose what went into the sambal. A few slices of okra (bendi)? Some crisp winged bean (kacang botol)? Or a handful of petai (stink beans)? Typically, you’d get 3–4 kacang botol, a couple of okras, and about 10–12 petai beans tossed in. The portion was tiny, but the bill — outrageous. A daylight robbery in the name of exotic ingredients, even though these vegetables are sold fresh in every local market.

    But honestly? It was worth every sen. That sambal, fiery and addictive, with the crunch of kacang botol and the pungent bite of petai, was unforgettable. What began as mild indignation soon turned into a fond addiction.

    Now, when I recreate Petai Bendi & Kacang Botol Sambal at home, it’s not just about the recipe — it’s about reliving those first food-court adventures, minus the steep price tag.

How to Cook Malaysian Petai Bendi & Kacang Botol Sambal Recipe 

Petai Sambal – Stink Beans Stir-Fried in Spicy Chilli Paste

Petai Sambal is one of those dishes you either love or can’t quite handle—but if you’re here, chances are you’re ready for the love affair.

Malaysian Stink Bean, Okra & Winged Bean Sambal Recipe

    This dish is a true Malaysian classic—spicy, bold, and best eaten with steaming hot rice. If you’re new to Petai, here’s your initiation into a plateful of pungent paradise.

Why You’ll Love This Petai Bendi Sambal

• Authentic Malay sambal flavour, cooked with Petai, Okra & Winged Beans.

• Pairs beautifully with plain steamed rice, fried fish, or even fried noodles.

• Customisable – add prawns, or simply long beans/eggplant, or go fully vegetarian.

• Nutritious, antioxidant-rich, and an unforgettable taste experience.

Ingredients

Vegetables

• 100 grams Stinky Beans (Petai)
• 250 grams Okra (Bendi / Lady’s Finger)  
• 100 grams Winged Beans (Kacang Botol)

Sambal Paste

• 10–15 Dry Red Chillies (soaked in hot water)
• 5 Bird’s Eye Chillies (fresh)
• 6 Shallots
• 3 cloves of Garlic
• ½ teaspoon Dried Shrimp Paste (Belacan), toasted
• 1 teaspoon Tamarind Paste 

Seasoning

• ½ teaspoon Fish Sauce
• Salt – to taste
• ¼ teaspoon Palm Sugar (Gula Melaka) or white sugar2 tablespoons of Oil

Method - Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

Prepare the Vegetables

Petai (Stink Beans):

• Rinse well, slice into halves, and don’t forget to remove the tiny sprout inside each bean.  

Okra (Ladies’ Fingers):

• Trim off the ends and slice thinly on a slant. Cutting on the diagonal not only makes the pieces look prettier in the sambal, but it also helps them cook more evenly.

Kacang Botol (Winged Beans):

• Slice thinly on the slant as well. Those winged edges catch the sambal beautifully, so every bite is coated with spice.

Make the Sambal Paste

Spicy Malaysian Sambal Paste

 

    A good sambal paste is the soul of this dish, and once you’ve mastered it, you can use it for so many other Malaysian favourites. 

• Soak dried red chillies in hot water until softened, then drain.
• Dry roast belacan (shrimp paste) until aromatic. (Open your windows — it’s pungent but worth it!)
• Grind the softened chillies, shallots, garlic, roasted belacan, and tamarind into a smooth paste.
• Heat oil generously in a wok and sauté the ground paste on medium heat until fragrant and the oil separates.

Now you have a cooked sambal paste that’s ready to use immediately or store.

• Refrigerate for up to a week, or
• Freeze in small portions for quick meals later.

Cook the Petai Bendi & Kacang Botol Sambal

    Now comes the star dish. Authentic Malay-style cooking keeps the vegetables fresh, green, and slightly crunchy — never mushy or dull.

Cooking Method:

Recipe Notes & Pro Tips

• Petai (Stink Beans): Blanch briefly before cooking if you want to tone down the pungency.
• Okra (Bendi): Never cover the wok when cooking — it traps steam and makes it slimy. Always stir-fry uncovered.
• Cooking Technique: High heat, generous oil, and quick stir-frying give you glossy sambal and crunchy vegetables. Stop cooking once the sambal coats the veggies and they’re just tender.
• Texture: Use a mortar and pestle instead of a blender for an authentic, rustic sambal base.
• Customisations: Swap winged beans (kacang botol) with long beans if unavailable. Go vegetarian by skipping belacan (shrimp paste) and fish sauce.
• Spice Levels: Adjust the chilli mix to suit your tolerance. The given measure is for a medium-hot sambal.
• Extra Sambal Paste: Always make more than you need! Refrigerate for a week, or freeze for longer. It doubles up as a base for sambal fried rice, sambal prawns, sambal ikan bilis, or even fried noodles.