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Recipe: A spicy dish for cooler weather
(JP/Anggara Mahendra)As the rainy season begins in Indonesia, the appearance of warming (some would say fiery) sambal on the dinner table has become more imperative
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(JP/Anggara Mahendra) (JP/Anggara Mahendra)
(JP/Anggara Mahendra)
As the rainy season begins in Indonesia, the appearance of warming (some would say fiery) sambal on the dinner table has become more imperative.
The most common sambal found in households is stir-fried chili paste mixed with shrimp paste, or sambal terasi. It can be consumed as a dipping sauce for fried chicken or fish, mixed into soups or used to add flavor when slow cooking food.
Another favorite sauce for the season is sambal rujak, which goes with any kind of fruit.
Here's how to prepare the sauces.
Sambal terasi
The spicy taste of this sambal is greatly loved because the condiment can make a simple dish taste extravagant. What makes it better is that it is easy and fast to make.
What you'll need:
'¢ 10 red chilis (adjusted to taste)
'¢ 10 cayenne peppers (again, to taste)
'¢ 5 shallots
'¢ 1 teaspoon (tsp) shrimp paste
'¢ 1-2 tsp salt
'¢ palm sugar
'¢ 1 tomato
'¢ 3 bay leaves
'¢ 1 lemongrass stalk, cut
'¢ 3 galangal
'¢ 5 tablespoons of cooking oil
How to make it:
Grind the chili, onion and shrimp paste with a pestle and mortar, or in a blender
Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan, add the chopped tomato and let it fry for a while before putting in the chili paste and other ingredients
Fry it all on medium heat, stirring for about five minutes
Lower the heat and the sambal is ready to serve
Sambal rujak
It is spicy, sweet and sour. Rujak is one of the best snacks for afternoon breaks while having light conversation with your friends, colleagues or family.
The fruit:
Jicama (Mexican yams), young mango, ambarella, water apple, pineapple, papaya and any other fruits you would like to have on the plate.
What you'll need:
'¢ 4 (more or less) cayenne
peppers
'¢ 200 grams palm sugar, shaved
'¢ ½ teaspoon salt
'¢ 150 grams ground roasted
peanuts
'¢ 2 spoons of tamarind pulp
'¢ 1 tsp shrimp paste
How to make it:
1. Combine all ingredients, grind with mortar and pestle until the shaved sugar starts to dissolve, then add peanuts and grind again
2. Add water and mix it all together
3. Serve with cut fruit
Compiled from various sources
' JP
