Indonesian sambals, especially sambal balado, are just amazing as they never fail to lift a dish. They come in variants of mild, super spicy, sweet or sour and belacan-rich.
Nonetheless, there’s always so much to choose from and they’re usually freshly prepared just before the meal, served either cooked or raw.
However, this recipe is on the milder side and takes mere minutes to make. What’s more, you can choose to serve it as a condiment with ikan bakar (fried fish) or layer it on top of grilled aubergine for a sweet and spicy treat.
Flavours and pairings
This dish is spicy and fragrant with a little hint of sweetness. The kaffir lime leaves bring an aromatic note to this sambal.
If you double the quantities, this would work really well as a base for an egg sambal dish. Or just serve up as is with your favourite meal.
Ingredients
- 3 large red chillies
- 2 bird’s eye chillies
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4-5 small shallots/red onions (or 1 medium red onion)
- 1 medium tomato
- 3-4 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of sugar
Method
- Begin by roughly chopping the chillies, garlic, tomato and shallots. Then, pound and grate the mixture with a pestle and mortar.
- Next, add in the salt and continue to mix the sambal together for about 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can blitz everything in a blender for a few short bursts (two minutes). Do note, that the sambal base should be a rough consistency (not smooth), as this sambal needs a bit of texture to bring it to life.
- Then, heat three tablespoons of oil in a wok (or deep pot) and add the sambal, sugar and kaffir lime leaves.
- Simmer it on a low-medium heat while gently stirring the sambal for about 10 minutes and it’s done.
- Serve with a wedge of lime for an extra special something.
@theorangesieve serves up recipes from the heart, inspired by travels near and far. It’s all about food that humbly invites you to discover the truth about flavour, that is: the people, the culture and the stories behind them. The kind of food that leaves you with a smile for reasons you can’t quite put your finger on.