Malaysian Sambal Sauce
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
12
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Calories
73 kcal
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Course
Condiments
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Cuisine
Indonesian, Malaysian, Singaporean
Malaysian Sambal Sauce
Description
Malaysian Sambal Sauce is made by blending deseeded dried red chilies and fresh Thai chilies with garlic, galangal, turmeric, lemongrass, and shallots, creating a fragrant chili base. The addition of shrimp paste, fish sauce, tamarind paste, and palm sugar layers in umami, acidity, and sweetness. Cooking the mixture in hot oil and then simmering with water reduces it slowly until it thickens to a jam-like consistency, concentrating its flavors.
The sauce balances heat from the chilies with the aromatic bite of lemongrass and the earthy warmth of turmeric and galangal. It is packed with Southeast Asian flavors that develop during the slow simmering stage. The consistency after simmering is thick, making the sambal easy to store and use as a condiment or ingredient.
Chilled before use, this sambal can be spooned onto grilled meats, stir fries, or used as a spicy condiment with boiled eggs, noodles, or rice dishes. It adds a pronounced chili flavor along with a tangy, slightly sweet, and savory complexity.
Store the sambal in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks. Freezing in small portions for up to 6 months preserves freshness. Leftover sambal can also be stirred into dishes to elevate flavor, such as fried rice or noodle preparations.
Ingredients
- 30 dried red chili deseeded, optional
- 20 Thai chillies deseeded, optional, fresh
- 5 garlic peeled, cloves
- 2 inch galangal
- 2 inch Turmeric
- 1 talk lemongrass (white part only, sliced)
- 1 cup shallot peeled and sliced
- 1 tbsp shrimp paste (belacan)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste or pulp
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Soak dried chillies for 30 minutes in hot water and then drain and add to blender or jug
- Add the fresh chillies, garlic, galangal, turmeric, lemongrass and shallots. Blend until smooth. Add the Shrimp paste, fish sauce, tamarind and sugar and stir well.
- Heat a wok or deep pan with the oil until hot over a medium/hot heat. Tip in the sambal and let it sizzle in the oil. Stir in 1 cup water and let it come to a simmer. Reduce the heat a little and gently simmer for 25-30 minutes to reduce the sauce until thick and jam-like, stirring regularly to avoid sticking.
- Let the sambal cool completely and decant to an airtight container or jar. Serve cold.
Notes
- Keep sambal in a sealed container in the refrigerator to maintain freshness for up to 3 weeks.
- Freeze the sauce in small portions if you want to keep it for up to 6 months.
- Use sambal as a flavorful base for stir-fries, as a condiment for boiled eggs, or mixed into noodles and fried rice.
- Dilute with water when cooking dishes such as sambal eggs to mellow the heat and blend flavors.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 73 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 73kcal | 4% |
| Carbohydrates | 16g | 5% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.1g | 1% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.2g | 1% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.03g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 14mg | 5% |
| Sodium | 179mg | 7% |
| Potassium | 366mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 1047IU | 21% |
| Vitamin C | 110mg | 122% |
| Calcium | 29mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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