Raw Balinese sambal (sambel matah)

Serve this raw Balinese sambal as a condiment for grilled fish or chicken. While the shrimp paste is very pungent, it does add a unique depth of flavour to the sambal.

• prep

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced 
• 6 bird’s-eye chillies (cabe rawit), finely chopped 
• 7 shallots, finely chopped 
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 
• ½ tsp roasted shrimp paste, crushed finely 
• salt and pepper, to taste 
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil 
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Roasting the paste before cooking helps mellow out the flavour – to do this, wrap the shrimp paste in foil and bake at 200°C for 5 minutes. 

Makes about ⅓ cup

Instructions

Combine all ingredients and stir well. Serve at room temperature.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.