AI-generated image
Sambal terasi
Shrimp paste chilli sambal
Sambal terasi — fried chilli sambal with toasted shrimp paste and lime
Almost every Indonesian kitchen keeps a stone mortar, the cobek, and the sambal pounded in it most often is this one. Toasted shrimp paste gives it a deep, savoury funk, fried chillies and shallots add sweetness and heat, and a squeeze of lime at the end wakes everything up. Spoon it beside fried chicken, grilled fish, fried tempeh or a plate of raw lalapan vegetables, or stir a little into fried rice. Chef's tip: pound rather than blend if you can; a coarse, slightly juicy texture tastes fresher than a smooth purée.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the sambal
- 1 ½ tsp shrimp paste (terasi)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 large red chilliesroughly chopped
- 8 bird's eye chilliesfewer for a milder sambal
- 3 shallotshalved
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small tomatoquartered
- 1 tsp palm sugargrated, or light brown sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lime juiceor calamansi juice
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (5)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Wrap 1 ½ tsp shrimp paste (terasi) in a little foil and toast it in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 1–2 minutes each side, until it smells roasted and crumbles easily. Raw terasi tastes harsh and fishy, so never skip this. Keep a window open.
4 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in the same pan over a medium heat. Fry 6 large red chillies, 8 bird's eye chillies, 3 shallots, 2 cloves garlic and 1 small tomato for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until soft and lightly blistered. Wear gloves or wash your hands well after handling the chillies.
4 minStep 3: Put the fried mixture in a mortar with 1 tsp palm sugar, ½ tsp salt and the toasted shrimp paste, oil and all. Pound to a coarse, juicy paste, or pulse briefly in a small blender.
3 minStep 4: Stir in 1 tbsp lime juice, taste and adjust salt and sugar. Serve at room temperature. Keep any leftovers covered in the fridge and eat within 3 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 45 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sambal terasi take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Sayur lodehVegetables in coconut milk
Sayur lodeh is everyday cooking in Central Java, made in big pots in Solo and Semarang kitchens and ladled over rice, with lontong rice cakes at Lebaran, or alongside opor and sambal goreng on festive tables. It's soupy rather than thick: a fragrant broth of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass and lime leaf that carries chunks of aubergine, long beans, chayote and sweetcorn, plus tempeh and tofu to make it a meal. The flavour is mellow and slightly sweet, so the heat comes from sambal on the side. Chef's tip: keep the pot at a gentle simmer once the coconut milk goes in and stir now and then — a rolling boil splits the coconut milk into oily curds.
Mint and onion chutney
Onions fried gently until soft and sweet, then blended with fresh mint, green chilli and lemon juice. It's a mellow, fresh-tasting chutney that is great with bhajias, samosas, kebabs and tikka, or spread in sandwiches.
Indian
Sour cream dip
A simple, tangy dip made with thick home-made cottage cheese (hung yogurt) or ready-made sour cream, seasoned with garlic, chilli, black pepper and vinegar. Serve it cold with crisps, nachos and jacket potatoes. The book's other dips use this as their 'sour cream'.