Sambal

Sambal (or, in Javanese, sambel) is any kind of hot or spicy relish which is served with food. Some types are much hotter than others, but all are highly flavoured. You can adjust the hotness of your sambal, of course, by putting in more or less chilli. Sambal is usually treated a bit like red-currant jelly: that is, it is served in a small bowl or dish, and people help themselves to as much as they want. In a number of recipes in this book, I have mentioned which sambal I think goes best with a particular dish. As you become more experienced with Indonesian food, you will obviously prefer to make your own choices.