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EveryMasala

Pastes and wet masalas

Sambal

A chilli paste of the Malay world, pounded fresh, from simple oelek to shrimp-paste terasi.

Sambal is a family of chilli-based sauces found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and beyond. The simplest, sambal oelek, is crushed chilli with salt. Others add shallot, garlic, lime, tomato or fermented shrimp paste.

What goes in

Red chilli: 40%40%Shallot: 20%20%Garlic: 13%13%Shrimp paste: 7%Lime: 13%13%Salt: 7%15parts

Parts by volume of the whole spice. The ring shows each part's share.

Made step by step

Each drawing shows the operation for that step. Ratios and timings differ from house to house; this is one traditional-style way.

  1. Step 1: Dry Remove chilli stems and, if you want less heat, the seeds.
  2. Step 2: Toast Toast the shrimp paste briefly if using.
  3. Step 3: Pound Pound the chilli, shallot and garlic with salt in a stone mortar.
  4. Step 4: Pound Mix in the shrimp paste and pound again to a coarse paste.
  5. Step 5: Blend Add lime juice and a pinch of sugar to taste.
  6. Step 6: Store Keep in a jar in the refrigerator and use within a few days.
  7. Red chilli: 40%40%Shallot: 20%20%Garlic: 13%13%Shrimp paste: 7%Lime: 13%13%Salt: 7%
    Finished Sambal, by share.

A hundred versions

Sambal belacan includes toasted shrimp paste, sambal matah is raw Balinese shallot and lemongrass, and sambal terasi uses the Indonesian paste terasi. The word oelek refers to the stone mortar the paste is ground in.

Table condiment

It is a staple on the table, served with rice, fried foods, noodles and grilled fish. Spice level and style depend on the cook and the region.

Where it is used

Nasi gorengFried chickenGrilled fishMie goreng

The spices in it

Chili pepperThe base.

Also part of it, and being written: Shrimp paste (Fermented.), Lime (Sourness.).

More on EveryMasala

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Sources and further reading

About this page

Original text and drawings by the EveryMasala desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. The shares are an illustrative, traditional-style ratio, not a standard: every family and maker blends differently. If we have something wrong, tell us.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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