Sambal Oelek

Name: Sambal Oelek
Yield: Makes 200 ml
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon dried shrimp paste (terasi or blachan); 1 teaspoon sugar; 4 large red chillies, chopped; 4 tablespoons hot water; 2 limes, peeled and cut into small pieces; 100 ml nam pla (Thai fish sauce); 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; ½ teaspoon dried shrimp paste (terasi or blachan); ½ teaspoon dried shrimp paste (terasi or blachan); 100 ml nam pla (Thai fish sauce); 2 tablespoons Thai sweet basil leaves

Preparation info

Makes
200 ml

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Paul Gayler's Sauce Book

By Paul Gayler

Published 2015

About

This Indonesian-inspired chilli sauce is to Asian dishes what harissa is to Moroccan: a little spoonful adds a spice kick and enlivens food in seconds.

Serve with meat or add to stir-fries and fried rice. I often add a little to a pizza base and top it with barbecued chicken, for an Asian-style pizza.

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ teaspoon dried shrimp paste (terasi or blachan)
1

Asia
Africa
Indonesia
Morocco
Sauce
Fish course
Pescatarian
Spicy
Mediterranean
South East Asia

Method

Put the garlic, shrimp paste, salt and chillies in a mortar and pound to a coarse paste with a pestle. (This can be done in a blender if you prefer.)
Add the sugar, limes, water, vinegar and nam pla, and pound (or blend) to a thick paste. Add the sweet basil leaves and pound (or blend) again. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 month.