Name: Green Chili Sambal (Sambal Cabe Hijau)
Yield: Makes 1 cup (240 ml)
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 6 small Asian shallots or 3 large European shallots; ½ lb (225 g) mild finger-length green chilies, such as jalapeño or serrano, seeded (optional) and chopped; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt; 10 green bird’s eye chilies or Thai chilies, stemmed (optional); 2 green tomatoes or tomatillos; Juice of 2 small key limes or calamansi limes; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; Any 2 of the following herbs: 2 slices galangal or fresh ginger, 1 stalk lemongrass, 4 makrut lime leaves; 2 teaspoons sugar

Preparation info

Makes
1 cup

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Mortar and Pestle

By Patricia Tanumihardja

Published 2024

About

Notice the ten bird’s eye chilies in the ingredient list? That’s no mistake. This green chili sambal is from Manado, the second-largest city on the island of Sulawesi, where they are known for their super-spicy food. Julia likes to eat this green sambal with Ikan Goreng. Personally, I prefer it in Ayam Penyet Sambal Cabe Hijau, and no bird’s eye chilies, heh. She usually boils the ingredients, but I like charring them to deepen the fl