Indonesian Sambal is a chili-based sauce and one of the most popular Indonesian dishes. The combination of chilies, tangy lime juice, sugar and salt all pounded up with mortar; creating such an aroma and mystique taste to the dishes.
Ingredients:
6–8 red chillies
2 garlic cloves
2 cm piece ginger
1 lemongrass root, thinly sliced from the white part only
50ml white vinegar
½ cup white sugar
Pinch of salt
1lime, grated
Sambal Preparation:
Chop the ginger, garlic and lemongrass and place in a mortar. Add the chilies and half of the lime rind, keeping the other half aside for later.
Crush the ingredients together in the mortar. Gradually add the vinegar.
Add a pinch of salt and lime zest, for flavor, while continuing to breaking down the ingredients
Add the crushed ingredients to a saucepan then bring the pan to a boil with the mix of a wooden spoon.
After boil, let it simmer for 3 minutes
Add a pinch of sugar while stirring
Steam for an estimated 10 minutes over a medium flame
Finally, add grated lime to top off it off
Sambal may be served hot or cold, preferably cool, a complement to just about any dish
