Sambal Titek

I came across the written recipe while rummaging through my mother’s stash. It only listed the ingredients and did not state a method. My mother left it incomplete and I had to piece it together. When I asked my father for any recollection, he only urged me to cook it and see what it would end up looking like. Sambal titek actually refers to the spice paste made by combining buah keras, shallots, dried chillies and belachan. While this dish may be cooked with young papaya, my mother’