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Sambal Goreng Kentang (Spicy Indonesian Potatoes)

Sambal Goreng Kentang, is a vegan Indonesian delicacy with perfectly crispy russet potatoes. This dish features a balanced and spicy sambal paste, and aromatics like Indonesian bay leaves, lime leaves, and lemongrass which infuse the dish with an irresistible fragrance!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 1250 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indonesian

Ingredients

Fried or Air-fried Potatoes:
  • 2.2 lbs. Russet potatoes (1 kg.) peeled and 1 cm. diced
  • 2 cups canola oil vegetable oil, or peanut oil, for deep-frying the potatoes, or use 2 teaspoons oil if using an air fryer
Sambal:
  • ½ cup shallots thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh galangal
  • 2 fresno chilis stems removed
  • 3 bird’s eye chilies stems removed
  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar coconut sugar, or brown sugar
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
To finish and serve:
  • 2 teaspoons canola oil vegetable oil, or peanut oil
  • 2 Indonesian bay leaves daun salam
  • 4 makrut lime leaves (A.K.A. kaffir lime or daun jeruk)
  • 1 stalk lemongrass cut in 4 inch sections, bruised, dry external leaves discarded
Garnishes:
  • Thinly sliced bird’s eye chilies to garnish
  • Thinly sliced chives or spring onion to garnish

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cook the potatoes: If frying, heat 2 cups of canola oil, vegetable oil, or peanut oil in a deep pan. When the oil is 350 degrees or hotter, fry the peeled and diced russet potatoes until they are golden and crispy. If air-frying, follow your air fryer's instructions for potato fries. If air-frying, use 2 teaspoons of oil to coat the potatoes. If roasting, bake the oiled potatoes at 400 degrees for 16-20 minutes until lightly golden brown all around.
  2. While the potatoes are cooking, use a blender or a food processor to blend together shallots, garlic, grated fresh ginger, grated fresh galangal, Fresno chilis, bird's eye chilies, palm sugar (or coconut sugar, or brown sugar), and salt. Blend until you have a smooth paste.
  3. In a dutch oven or wok over medium heat, warm 2 teaspoons of canola oil, vegetable oil, or peanut oil. After 90 seconds when the oil is hot, add Indonesian bay leaves (daun salam), lime leaves, and lemongrass (cut in half and bruised with dry external leaves discarded) to the pan. Sauté for a few minutes until fragrant.
  4. Add the sambal paste to the pan and cook until it's aromatic, slightly darker in color, and the oil begins to separate from the paste.
  5. Drain and add the fried or air-fried potatoes to the sambal mixture. Toss them together until the potatoes are well coated with the spicy sambal.
  6. Serve your Sambal Goreng Kentang garnished with thinly sliced bird's eye chilies and chives or spring onions.

Notes

  • 🥔 Perfectly Cooked Potatoes: Achieve potato perfection by uniformly peeling, dicing, and cooking your potatoes. Starchy russet potatoes make the best potato for this dish, and also are less work to peel.
  • 🥔
  • Perfectly Cooked Potatoes:
  • 🍳 Deep-Frying Excellence: Use a sturdy pot like a Dutch oven to prevent mess and if you have one, use a thermometer for precise oil temperature.
  • 🍳
  • Deep-Frying Excellence:
  • 🌶️ Balanced Sambal Paste: Tweak the sambal to your taste by using the amounts of garlic, ginger, galangal, chilies, sugar, and salt that you are into! Nothing does a better job of making smooth sambal than a good high-speed blender. 
  • 🌶️
  • Balanced Sambal Paste:
  • 🍃 Aromatic Infusion: Heat the oil with Indonesian bay leaves, lime leaves, and lemongrass until fragrant, avoiding any burnt tender leaves.
  • 🍃
  • Aromatic Infusion:

Nutrition Information

Calories 1250kcal (63%) Carbohydrates 56g (19%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 56g (86%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Polyunsaturated Fat 26g Monounsaturated Fat 52g Trans Fat 0.5g Sodium 751mg (31%) Potassium 1224mg (35%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 7g (14%) Vitamin A 218IU (4%) Vitamin C 50mg (56%) Calcium 52mg (5%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1250

% Daily Value*

Calories 1250kcal 63%
Carbohydrates 56g 19%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 56g 86%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Polyunsaturated Fat 26g 153%
Monounsaturated Fat 52g 260%
Trans Fat 0.5g 25%
Sodium 751mg 31%
Potassium 1224mg 26%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 7g 14%
Vitamin A 218IU 4%
Vitamin C 50mg 56%
Calcium 52mg 5%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.