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Authentic Sambal Recipe
Java, Indonesia
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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Sambal refers to a large group of spicy sauces or condiments which are a quintessential part of almost every Indonesian meal. It can be spicy, sweet, salty, or sour depending on the region, and its texture can range from coarse to smooth. Basic sambal, sometimes known as sambal oelek or sambal ulek, is traditionally made by grinding raw chili peppers with some salt using a stone mortar and pestle called ulek. Sometimes, sambal ulek is enriched with vinegar of lime juice and serves as a base for other, more complex sambals. Those are made with either fresh or fried vegetables — chili peppers in the first place, onions, Asian shallots, garlic, eggplants, and tomatoes seasoned with vinegar, lime juice, lemongrass, sugar, soy sauce and terasi — fermented shrimp paste or powder. Additional ingredients include various fruits such as mango, young banana, and strawberries, or nuts like peanuts and Indian walnuts. A traditional way of preparing ... Read more
Serve With
Cooking tips
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chilies
Traditional Indonesian sambal is prepared with cabe peppers, which are most similar to cayenne or Holland chile peppers and can reach from 30.000 to 50.000 units in the Scoville range. Local varieties are called cabe merah, cabe hijau, cabe rawit, and lombok, while other chile varieties include habanero, cayenne, fresno, red jalapeño and bird’s eye. Cleaning chilies should be performed while wearing ... Read more -
seasonings
While basic sambal, sambal oelek or sambal ulek, is prepared only with sea salt, there is a whole range of additional seasonings that can be used. They include palm sugar, vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, and lemongrass. Another common local ingredient is terasi — a fermented shrimp paste or powder of a specific smell which disappears after toasting and gives the sambal a rich, savory taste. -
techniques
There are two main techniques for making sambal. The ingredients and the seasonings can be ground fresh, or sautéed shortly in a wok in some vegetable oil and then ground. Sambal made from fresh, raw ingredients is most commonly called sambal dadak, which literally means impromptu sambak, or sambal mentah. Sambal matang means cooked sambal, while the word goreng, meaning fried, marks the kind of sambal ... Read more -
texture
Sambal can resemble a coarse relish or a smooth puree — and anything in between. Chili pepper seeds are often visible and are responsible for an extra spicy note. Some sambal varieties, such as sambal kecap, use chopped vegetables instead of pureed. -
keeping
Sambal can be kept stored in airtight containers in a refrigerator, but traditional preparation suggests making a fresh batch for each meal.
Recipe variations
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Sambal Terasi
Ready in 10minSambal terasi is a type of sambal that can be prepared with fresh or sautéed ingredients and has numerous regional varieties. Because of its sweetness, it is considered to be the best option for sambal beginners. The main ingredient, apart from chilies, is the shrimp paste called terasi which gives this sambal a distinctive taste. However, to make it according to tradition, you will also need to add citrus (lemon or lime) juice.
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Basic Sambal Ulek
Ready in 5minAlso known as sambal oelek, this simple sambal is often used as a base for making other sambal varieties, or as a condiment on its own. Fresh chili peppers with seeds and some salt are simply ground by hand or pureed in a food processor until the desired texture is reached.
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Sambal Bajak
Ready in 25minSambal bajak, also known as sambal badjak, is very popular on the island of Java. The following recipe suggests roasting the ingredients in the oven, grinding them, and then sautéing the sambal once again in a wok. What distinguishes this type of sambal from others is the use of candlenuts, tomatoes, garlic, coconut sugar, and terasi dried shrimp.
Sambal Terasi
PREP 5min
COOK 5min
READY IN 10min
Sambal terasi is a type of sambal that can be prepared with fresh or sautéed ingredients and has numerous regional varieties. Because of its sweetness, it is considered to be the best option for sambal beginners. The main ingredient, apart from chilies, is the shrimp paste called terasi which gives this sambal a distinctive taste. However, to make it according to tradition, you will also need to add citrus (lemon or lime) juice.
Ingredients
Sambal Terasi
15 cayenne peppers
9 large red chili peppers
5 bulbs red Asian shallot
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp terasi (shrimp paste)
1 tbsp palm sugar (red sugar)
1/2 tsp salt
cooking oil, for sautéing
Preparation
1
Sambal Terasi
Step 1/5
Clean the peppers, cut them into smaller pieces, and fry in cooking oil until wilted. Set aside.
Step 2/5
Peel and chop the onion and garlic, sauté in hot oil, and set aside.
Step 3/5
Place the peppers, onion, garlic, salt, and sugar in a mortar and grind. Alternatively, you can also use a food processor.
Step 4/5
Add shrimp paste and grind or process until smooth.
Step 5/5
Serve immediately.
Other Variations
-
Basic Sambal Ulek
Ready in 5minAlso known as sambal oelek, this simple sambal is often used as a base for making other sambal varieties, or as a condiment on its own. Fresh chili peppers with seeds and some salt are simply ground by hand or pureed in a food processor until the desired texture is reached.
-
Sambal Bajak
Ready in 25minSambal bajak, also known as sambal badjak, is very popular on the island of Java. The following recipe suggests roasting the ingredients in the oven, grinding them, and then sautéing the sambal once again in a wok. What distinguishes this type of sambal from others is the use of candlenuts, tomatoes, garlic, coconut sugar, and terasi dried shrimp.
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