Recipe - Making "Sambal Belacan"



Sambal Belacan

Sambal belacan is a hot and spicy condiment. It is made using traditional tools such as stone pestle and mortar in order to have a coarse texture and consistency. The belacan is usually burned first to kill its pungent smell as to release its aroma. In Malaysia, sambal belacan is eaten with ‘ulam’ (leafy herbs) in a meal or herbs and other dishes or as a dipping sauce.

 

Ingredients

7 fresh red chillies

5 bird’s eye chillies

20 gm shrimp paste (belacan)

1 tomato (cut into pieces)

¼ tsp salt

Sugar to taste

2 Calamansi lime (limau kasturi)

 

'Shrimp paste'

 

Procedure

Slice open to remove seeds from chillies.

Roast the belacan over naked flame for 2 minutes. Set it aside.

Cut chillies into pieces.

Place chillies, belacan and tomato into pestle and pound with a mortar according to a consistency you refer.

Remove the paste from the mortar into a bowl.

Add salt, sugar and calamansi juice. Mix well.

You can store the sambal belacan in a well- sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for a week to be served with meals or as a condiment.