Sambal, or sambel in Javanese, is a spicy relish or condiment that centers chilies as the main ingredient. Sambal usually accompanies a meal, whether it’s rice, noodles, or soup. Julia can’t eat a meal without sambal to dollop on her food!
At her last count, Indonesian food scholar Prof. Dr. Ir. Murdijati Gardjito, reported 352 different types of sambals. That’s a lot of sambals! Many are the same but different. What do I mean by that? Sambals use many common ingredients—shallots, garlic, chilies—but they have subtle differences. For instance, I’m unsure when to use fresh, boiled, or roasted chilies. So I asked Julia, the sambal pro. She can tell you which sambal goes with what dish and easily rattles off ingredients and methods by rote. Her answer: “It’s up to you!” In other words, there isn’t a definitive answer. It’s all a matter of taste.
