SambalFour sambals
Four chili relishes that cover most of what gets put on an Indonesian table. One is fried, one raw, one steamed, one simply stirred together.
Before you start
- A stone mortar gives the coarse, uneven texture sambal wants. A blender makes a smooth puree, which is a different condiment.
- Wear gloves, or wash your hands with oil rather than water afterwards.
- Salt is the main control. Add it a pinch at a time and taste between each one.
Sambal terasi
The everyday one. Toasted shrimp paste gives it the savoury backbone everything else sits on.
- Wrap the terasi in foil and toast it in a dry pan, 2 minutes each side. Toasting takes off the raw ammonia edge.
- Fry the chilies, shallots, garlic and tomatoes in the oil over medium heat for 5 minutes, until blistered and soft.
- Tip everything into a mortar with the toasted terasi, palm sugar and salt.
- Pound to a coarse paste. Leave flecks of chili skin visible.
- Stir in the lime juice off the heat, then taste for salt.
Sambal matah
Balinese, and entirely raw. Nothing is cooked except the oil that gets poured over it at the end.
- Combine the chilies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass and lime leaves in a heatproof bowl with the salt and terasi.
- Rub it all together with your fingers for a minute. Bruising the aromatics is what starts the flavour moving.
- Heat the coconut oil until it shimmers but does not smoke, about 160 C.
- Pour the hot oil over the mixture. It will sizzle. Stir once, then leave it 10 minutes.
- Finish with lime juice and serve at room temperature, with grilled fish or chicken.
Sambal ijo
The green Padang sambal. Steaming rather than frying is what keeps the colour bright.
- Steam the chilies, shallots, garlic and tomatoes for 10 minutes, until soft.
- Pound them coarsely with the salt and sugar. Keep it chunky.
- Stir-fry the paste in the oil for 5 minutes. Do not let it brown, or the green turns a dull olive.
- Add the lime juice, taste, and take it off the heat. Serve with fried chicken or plain rice.
Sambal kecap
The fastest of the four. No cooking at all, and the one that goes with satay.
- Stir everything together in a small bowl.
- Leave it 10 minutes so the shallots soften in the acid.
- Serve with satay, grilled fish or fried tempeh.
Keeping them
- The cooked sambals, terasi and ijo, keep a week in a sealed jar in the fridge. A thin layer of oil on top seals out air.
- Matah and kecap are day-of only. The raw aromatics turn bitter overnight.
- Freeze cooked sambal in an ice cube tray and it lasts three months in usable portions.