“Sambal Terasi/Sambal Belacan” is a very famous South East Asian chili dip with hint of dried shrimp. The original recipe normally prepared using shrimp paste. The shrimp paste is made from fermented dried shrimp, anchovies and salt – sometimes coloring and artificial flavor – left out in the sun to bake and dry. This is known as belacan / terasi, which is then sold in a form of block wrapped in paper / plastic.

If the pungent smell is too much, dried shrimp can be used instead. Fry them in hot oil till they dry and they can replace the belacan.

This extra special hot dip is eaten with fresh / steamed vegetables (such as cucumber, carrot, string bean, cassava leaves, papaya leaves, cabbage, etc) – as a palate cleanser to other main courses served with steamed rice.

Ingredients

75 gr (20 pcs) red chilies
10 gr (1/4 cup) small green Thai bird’s eye chilies
40 gr (2 tablespoons) shaved palm sugar (gula melaka/gula merah)
2 garlic cloves
2  shallots
20 gr (1/4 cup) small size dried shrimp
1/2 medium size tomato, seeded
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1/2 lime

Instructions

• Cook chilies, garlic, shallots and tomato in a pot of boiling water for 3-4 minutes, covered. Drain and set aside. Skin the tomato
• Heat cooking oil in a skillet. Pan fry dried shrimp till dry and crunchy, about 3 -4 minutes
• Pound all ingredients in a mortal using a pestle until fine (or desired consistency). Alternatively, blend them in a food processor / electric blender using high pulse for 5 seconds. Use a spatula, scrape the bottom. Pulse for another 5 seconds
• Serve with fresh vegetables, such as cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes

Cook’s note

This is extremely spicy. If milder dip is preferred, slice open all the chilies and remove the seeds. Also, boiling them longer will result in milder taste.

The amount of chilies used can be reduced and substituted with more tomatoes.

The chilies have to be cooked before processing in blender / mortal & pestle because raw chilies will have the “raw” taste to it. After boiling or pan frying them, the sambal will taste better.

Preparation time 30 minutes

Yield 6 servings