Different sambal recipes are served as hot and spicycondiments for dishes,[5] such aslalab (raw vegetables),ikan bakar (grilled fish),ikan goreng (fried fish),ayam goreng (fried chicken),ayam penyet (smashed chicken),iga penyet (ribs), and varioussoto soups. There are at least 212 variants of sambal in Indonesia,[6] most of which originate inJava.[7]
Sambal is often described as a hot and spicy Indonesianrelish.[8][9] However, its main ingredient,chili pepper, is not native to Southeast Asia but originates in theAmericas. Common variants used in sambal recipes includeCayenne pepper andbird's eye chili pepper (both varieties ofCapsicum annuum). These variants are native to the Western Hemisphere and were introduced to the Indonesian archipelago in the 16th century by Portuguese and Spanish sailors during theColumbian exchange.[10]
Stonecobek andulekan (mortar and pestle), essential tool to make sambal
Researchers note that the people of theMaritime Southeast Asia were already familiar with a type of hot and spicy relish prior to the 16th century. A hot spice calledcabya had become a valuable commodity in the Javanese market as early as the ancientMataram Kingdom era, circa the 10th century.[1] The 14th century Majapahit JavaneseNagarakretagama manuscript mentionslombok mirah island which is identified asLombok island, which is also the area that produced a spice called redlombok. In today's modernJavanese, the termlombok refers to 'chilli pepper', yet the term probably originally referred to a native hot spice prior to the introduction of capsicum. TheIndonesian languages' terms for 'chilli pepper' arecabai orcabe, yet the wordcabya is mentioned in several ancient inscriptions and texts found in Java from the 10th century CE.Cabya is actually a reference to the Javanese long pepper or Balinese long pepper (Piper retrofractum).[11] Historians suggest that prior to the introduction of Capsicum from the Americas in the 16th century, it was cabya that was widely used and cultivated as a hot spice in Java.[10] Cabya is still used in Java, but the overwhelming popularity of the capsicum plants eventually pushed out cabya consumption until it was only used in traditional herbal medication and in makingjamu (Javanese traditional herbal drink). Nowadays, the plant is considered rare.[10] Another historian suggests that it wasginger that was used as a hot spice agent in the ancient form of sambal. Ginger, cabya, andandaliman are among the earliest hot spices used in early sambal-like hot relish, followed by the introduction ofpepper circa 12th century from India, and finally the introduction of chili pepper from the Americas in the 16th century.[12]
The Javanese manuscriptSerat Centhini (1819–1912) records sixteen sambal variants in Java.[6] The recipe book Mustika Rasa (1967), written and composed by HartiniSukarno, presented 63 recipes of sambals.[7] In 2017, Murdijati Gardjito, a food researcher fromGadjah Mada University, identified hundreds of variants of sambals in Indonesia; 212 of them have a clear origin, while 43 have an unclear origin.[6] Java has the most of variants with 43 percent of sambal variants, Sumatra has 20 percent, Bali and West Nusa Tenggara has 8 percent, and the rest are distributed between Maluku, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.[6]
Like many culinary introductions and adaptations in the archipelago, over the years this hot and spicy relish branched off into an assorted array of sambal varieties, localised according to regional taste and the availability of the ingredients. Today sambal is a staple of Southeast Asian households, essential in cuisines of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore.[13]
A traditional manner of makingsambal using acobek, a stonemortar and anulekan, a pestle
Traditional sambals are freshly made using traditional tools, such as a stonepestle and mortar. Sambal can be served raw or cooked. There are two main categories of sambals in Indonesia, they aresambal masak (cooked) andsambal mentah (raw). Cooked sambal has undergone a cooking process that resulted in a distinct flavour and aroma, while raw sambal is mixed with additional ingredients and usually consumed immediately.Sambal masak or cooked sambals are more prevalent in western Indonesia, whilesambal mentah or raw sambals are more common in eastern Indonesia.[7]
The chilli pepper, garlic,shallot, and tomato are often freshly ground using a mortar, while theterasi orbelacan (shrimp paste) is fried or burned first to kill its pungent smell as well as to release its aroma.Sambal might be prepared in bulk, as it can be easily stored in a well-sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for a week to be served with meals as a condiment.[14] However, some households and restaurants insist on making freshly prepared sambal just a few moments prior to consuming to ensure its freshness and flavour; this is known assambal dadak (lit.'impromptu sambal' or'freshly made sambal'). Nevertheless, in mostwarung and restaurants, most sambal is prepared daily in bulk and offered as a hot and spicy condiment.
Today some brands of prepared, pre-packed, instant or ready-to-use sambal are available in Indonesia inwarung, traditional markets, supermarkets, and convenience stores. Most are bottled sambal, with a few brands available in plastic or aluminiumsachet packaging. Compared to traditional sambals, bottled instant sambals often have a finer texture, more homogeneous content, and thicker consistency, liketomato ketchup, due to the machine-driven manufacturing process. Traditionally made sambals ground in a pestle and mortar usually have a coarse texture and consistency. Several brands produce bottled sambals such asHeinz ABCsambal terasi[15] and several variants of sambalIndofood.[16][17] In the Netherlands a range of pre-packed sambals in glass or plastic jar is readily available from several brands (national and store brands) from almost all supermarkets andtokos.
Madame Jeanette: a yellow–light green, elongated, irregularly shaped pepper.
Bird's eye chili, also known ascabe rawit in Javanese: a very spicy, green–red, elongated pepper approximately 10 millimetres (0.39 in) wide and 50 mm (2.0 in) long.
Chili peppers known aslombok in Javanese: a mild, green or red, elongated pepper. Green chili peppers are milder than red ones.
Cabe taliwang: a pepper spicier than the bird's eye chili,similar in spiciness to thenaga jolokia, its name is supposedly the origin from which Lombok Island, or "the Island of the Chili", derives its name.
In the Indonesian archipelago, there are as many as 212[6] to 300 varieties of sambal.[18] The intensity ranges from mild to very hot. Some varieties include:
This is similar tosambal terasi with an addition oftamarind concentrate.Asam means tamarind or sour or acid in Indonesian.
Sambal bajak (badjak)
Banten sambal. Chilli (or another kind of red pepper) fried with oil, shallot, garlic,terasi,candlenuts, palm sugar and other condiments. This is darker and richer in flavour thansambal asam.[22]
Minangkabau style sambal. Chilli pepper or green chili is blended together with garlic, shallot, red or green tomato, salt and lemon or lime juice, then sauteed with oil.[23] Minangsambal balado often mixed with other ingredients to create a dish, such as egg, eggplant, shrimp or anchovy.
Sambal bawang
Sambal made from slicedshallot, chilli pepper, garlic, shrimp paste and lemon juice.[24]: 32
Jicama (bengkoang) sambal, made from the mixture of jicama or replaced withwater chestnut, red chillies, garlic, Asian basil, shrimp paste and lemon juice.[24]: 32
Sambal berandal (brandal)
A fried sambal made withkemiri nuts, garlic and onion. Sometimes tamarind (asem) orkaffir lime leaves (daun djeruk perut) are added.
Sambal bongkot
A speciality sambal from Bali, sambal with a mixture of sweet, sour, and spicy flavours, made with bongkot or kecombrang flower stems, shallots, chilli, grilled shrimp paste, sugar, salt, and lime juice.[27]
Palembangsambal buah (in the top right bowl) as a condiment to spice uplakso,burgo, andlaksan.
Sambal buah
(lit: fruit sambal) Speciality ofPalembang, made from the mixture of chilli, shrimp paste,kemang (a type ofmango) andpineapple.
Variants ofsambal cibiuk
Sambal cibiuk
A sambal recipe speciality of Cibiuk village,Garut Regency, West Java. It consists of coarsely chopped and ground green bird's eye chilli, green raw tomato, shallot, galangal, lemon basil, shrimp paste and salt.
FromAmbon, it consists of chilli, tomato pieces,shallots andlime it has a chiefly sour taste. It is suitable for barbecue dishes, especially fish. Some variations will add butter or vegetable oil to the sambal.
Dabu-dabu comes close to the Mexicansalsa, it is ofManado origin. It consists of coarsely chopped tomatoes,calamansi or known aslemon cui orjeruk kesturi, shallots, chopped bird's eye chili, red chilli, basil, poured with hot vegetable oil, salt.[28]
Sambal durian orSambal tempoyak
It is made from fermented durian calledtempoyak. The fermentation process takes three to five days. The chilli and the tempoyak may be readily mixed or served separately, to cater the individual preference in ratio of chili to tempoyak to determine the scale of hotness. This sambal is available in two varieties: raw and cooked. In the cooked variety, pounded chillies, shallots and lemongrass are stir-fried with anchovies, tempoyak and turmeric leaf (for aroma).Petai (Parkia speciosa) and tapioca shoots are also frequently added. The sweet-sour-hot sambal can be found in Sumatra and Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo), especially in Palembang and Bengkulu,[29] and also in Malay Peninsula.
Sambal ebi
Dried shrimp (ebi) sambal, made from the mixture of dried shrimp, candlenut, galangal, red chillies, shallot, garlic, brown sugar and salt.[24]: 33
Sambal gami
Sambal made of ground chili pepper, shrimp paste, tomato slices, onion slices, sugar, salt, and seasoning, cooked with several types ofcockles on earthenware plate. Specialty ofBontang coastal town inEast Kalimantan.[30]
Sambal gandaria
Freshly groundsambal terasi with shreddedgandaria, a kind of tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia.[31]
Literally means "fried sambal". It is a mix of crisp fried red shallots, red and green chilli, shrimp paste and salt, briefly stir-fried in coconut oil. It can be made into a whole different dish by adding other ingredients, such assambal goreng ati (mixed with diced liver) orsambal goreng udang (added with small shrimp).
Batak dishpanggang served withsambal gota as a dipping sauce
Sambal gota
Blood sambal made ofandaliman, chili pepper, garlic and other seasoning mixed and cooked with pork blood or sometimes chicken blood.[33] Specialty ofBatak cuisine, North Sumatra.[34]
Sambal jenggot
Sambal with addition of grated coconut, similar tourap.
Sambal jengkol
Freshly groundsambal terasi mixed with sliced friedjengkol, a kind of tropical bean with slightly stinky aroma native to Southeast Asia. Sambal jengkol can be found in Sundanese and Cirebon cuisine.[35]
Sambal kalasan
Sometimes also calledsambal jawa, aJavanese stir-fried sambal similar to sambal tumis. It uses a handful ofgula jawapalm sugar which gives its dark brown color, tomato, spices and chilli. The overall flavour is sweet, with mild hints of spices and chili.
Sambal kacang
A mixture of chilli with garlic, shallot, sugar, salt, crushed fried peanuts, and water. Usually used as condiments fornasi uduk,ketan, orotak-otak. The simple version only employcabe rawit chilli, crushed fried peanuts, and water.
Sambal kandas serai
A typical sambal of the Dayak tribe inCentral Kalimantan, made of chilies, lemon grass and shredded fish.[36]
Sambal kecap
A sambal consists of Indonesiankecap manis (sweet soy sauce), red chilli, tomato pieces,shallots andlime, it has a sweet and spicy taste and usually used for barbecue dishes.[14]
Sambal kecombrang
A sambal made fromkecombrang (Etlingera elatior) flower, mixed with red cayenne pepper, shallot, garlic, salt and lime leaves.[37]
Sambal kemangi
Sambal kemangi
Sambal made with a mixturekemangi (Lemon basil) fragrant leaf.
Sambal kemiri
This is similar tosambal terasi with addition ofcandlenuts.
Sambal kenari
Sambal made with a mixture ofkenari (Canarium ovatum) nut, speciality of Maluku islands.[38]: 8
Minangsambal ijo
Sambal lado mudo orsambal ijo
Literally aMinangkabau word for "green sambal". It is also known as sambal hijau or sambal ijo, also "green sambal". Sambal lado mudo, aWest Sumatran speciality, used green chilli, stir-fried with dried shrimp, red shallots, garlic, and spices. It is less hot compared to common sambals, and has a fresh flavour that complements the richness of Sumatran food.
Sambal lado uwok
A sambal made from steamed chili, garlic, shallot, tomato and mixed with sauteed anchovies.[39]
Sambal lampung
Sambal lampung
A popular variant of slightly sweet chilli, garlic, tomato sambal ofLampung origin, Sumatra.[40]
Sambal leunca
A Sundanese sambal, especially popular in West Java, made with the mixture of red chilli pepper, bird's eye chilli, shallot, shrimp paste andleunca (Solanum nigrum) berries.[41]
Balinesesambal matah
Sambal luat
Sambal made of the mixture of red chilli pepper,terasi shrimp paste, key lime juice, shallot, scallion, coriander, tomato, salt. Specialty ofEast Nusa Tenggara province.[42] Usually consumed as a condiment to accompanySe'i smoked pork or beef.
Sambal mandai
Sambal made with mixture of fermented inner skin ofcempedak fruit (Artocarpus integer), specialty ofEast Kalimantan.[43]
Sambal matah
Raw shallot and lemongrass sambal ofBali origin. It contains a lot of finely chopped shallots, chopped bird's eye chilli, lemongrass, cooking oil with a dash of lime juice.[44]
Sambal pare
Bitter gourd sambal. Ground chilli and shallot fried with finely chopped bitter gourd to reduce bitterness.[45]
Sambal pecak
Sambal pecak is served as the condiment of fried fish or chicken.[46] TheBetawi version is more soupy and using ginger in the sambal.[47]
Sambal petai
A mixture of red chilli, garlic, shallot, andpetai green stinky bean as the main ingredients.
East Javanesesambal petis
Sambal petis
Aneast Javanese sambal uses chilli,petis (a kind of shrimp paste), peanuts, young banana, herbs and spices.[48]
Sambal pencit/mangga muda
Greenmango sambal[24]: 32 fromCentral Java. Freshly groundsambal terasi with shredded young unripemango. This is a good accompaniment to seafood.Pencit means young mango in Indonesian.[14][5]
Sambal plecing
Originating from Lombok island, the sambal consists of Lombok's chili variety and Lombok'slengkare shrimp paste, tomatoes, salt, and lime juice.
A hot sambal fromManado region, it uses ginger, chili, lemon and spices. Suitable for barbecue meats and chicken.[50]
Sambal roa
Spicy smokedroa fish (halfbeak) sambal from Manado region, North Sulawesi.[51]
Sambal rujak
Rujak spicy sauce, made from palm sugar, tamarind, chili pepper and shrimp paste.[5]
Sambal seruit
A sambal fromLampung, made of fish,tempoyak, chili, shrimp paste, and aren palm juice.[52]
Sambal setan
A very hot sambal with Madame Jeanette peppers (red brownish, very sharp). The name literally means "devil's sauce". It is popular inSurabaya.[53]
Sambal taliwang
This variant is native to Taliwang, a village nearMataram,Lombok Island, and is made fromnaga jolokia pepper grown specially inLombok, garlic andLombok shrimp paste. A kilogram ofnaga jolokia pepper is extracted, ground and pressed. This is mixed with ground garlic and shrimp paste, then cooked with vegetable oil.
Sambal tape (tapai)
A variant of sambal fromTegal in Central Java that consists of chili pepper, salt and the addition of sour fermented cassava calledtapai. Usually served to spice upkrupuk crackers or vegetables.[54]
Sambal tauco
ASulawesi sambal, contains the Chinesetauco, lime juice, chilli, brown sugar, and salt.[14][5]
Sambal terasi
A common Indonesian style of sambal with a distinct shrimp paste flavor.[55] Similar to the Malaysianbelacan, but with a stronger flavour, sinceterasi is more tangy and fermented. Red and green peppers,terasi, sugar, salt, lemon or lime juice (tangy, strong).[14][56][5] One version omits the lime juice and has the sambal fried with pounded tomatoes. Popularly eaten raw. Alternate spelling in the Netherlands:trassi ortrassie.
Sambal teri lado
APadang speciality, sambal is made using chilli pepper, tomato, shallot, spices, and mixed with saltedikan teri (anchovy). The sambal is stir fried and similar to Malaysambal ikan.[57]
Fresh tomato sambal with only 1 chilli from Java, Indonesia
Similar to sambal tumis but with the addition of crushed tomato and sugar. It can be served as fresh sambal or stirred sambal. The tomato is stir fried along with the other ingredients until a paste-like consistency. The overall taste is hot and sweet, it is a good mix withlalapan.[original research?] For very young children,sambal tomat sometimes uses very little or no chilli at all; it is regarded as one of the first steps in introducing children to the taste of Indonesian sambal.
Sambal tuktuk
A traditional hot and spicycondiments typically served inBatak cuisine ofBatak people, native of Tapanuli region,North Sumatra,Indonesia. The ingredients to makesambal tuktuk is similar to otherchili sauce ingredients, distinguished by the use ofandaliman (Sichuan pepper).[59] It is often served astuktuk aso-aso, being mixed with dried fish calledaso-aso (a type of dried and preservedmackerel), but sometimesaso-aso fish is replaced with freshanchovy.
Sambal tumis
Chilli fried withbelacan shrimp paste, onions, garlic, tamarind juice.Tumis means 'stir fry'. Often the cooking oil is re-mixed with the sambal. It may be mixed with other ingredients to produce dishes such assambalkangkong,sambal cumi (squid) andsambal telur (egg).[60]
Sambal tumpang
Javanese sambal made from the mixture of chili pepper, other spices andsemangit (old and pungent)tempeh.[61]
Sambal udang bawang
A speciality sambal fromSurabaya. It is one of Indonesia's super hot sambal. It used simple ingredients, such as chili pepper, shallot, garlic, asam jawa (tamarind) and coconut oil. People ofSurabaya often called itNjaluk Sambal, as they eat it with fragrant steamed white rice.
Sambal oelek
Sambalulek (oelek)
Raw chilli paste (bright red, thin and sharp-tasting). Can be used as the base for making other sambals or as an ingredient for other cuisines. Some types of this variant call for the addition of salt or lime into the red mixture.Oelek is the oldpre-1947 Indonesian spelling (based on Dutch orthography) which has since becomeulek. The pronunciation has not changed and is in line with Malay pronunciation. Some suppliers use the older spelling due to its association with the Dutch East Indies andIndo culture.Cobek is Indonesian special stoneware derived from the common villagebasalt stone kitchenware still ubiquitous in kitchens, particularly in Java. Thecobek is amortar shaped like a hybrid of a dinner and soup-plate with an old, curedbambooroot or stonepestle (ulek orulekan) employed in anulek manner: a crushing and twisting motion (like using ascrewdriver) for crushing lime leaves, chilies, peppers, shallots, peanuts, and other kinds of ingredients.
A kind of sambal which is only made from raw chilli and salt. Very simple and easy to make, and usually be eaten with steamed rice and fried foods like fried chicken.
A Malay style sambal. Fresh chillies are pounded together with toastedshrimp paste (belacan) in a stone mortar to which sugar and lime juice are added.Limau kesturi orcalamansi lime is used traditionally but may be substituted with lime outside Southeast Asia.[63] Tomatoes are optional ingredients. Sometimes, sweet-sour mangoes or equivalent local fruits are also used. It can be eaten with cucumbers orulam (leafy herbs) in a meal of rice and other dishes. A Malaysian-Chinese version is to frybelacan with chili.[64]
Sambal jeruk
Green or red pepper withkaffir lime. In Malaysia, it is calledcili (chili)jeruk (pickle). Sometimes vinegar and sugar are substituted for lime. Used as a condiment with fried rice and noodle-based dishes.
RawSambal tempoyak on the left and the cooked one on the right
Sambal tempoyak
This sambal exists in two varieties: raw and cooked. Raw sambal tempoyak is prepared from fresh chilis pounded together with dried anchovies and served with fermented durian (tempoyak). The sambal and thetempoyak may be readily mixed or served separately, so that the person eating can determine the ratio of sambal to tempoyak that they want (tempoyak has a sweet-sour taste that offsets the hotness of the chilli). In the cooked variety, pounded chilis, shallots, and lemongrass are stir-fried with anchovies, tempoyak and turmeric leaf (for aroma). Commonly found inPahang andPerak of Peninsular Malaysia, sambal tempoyak could be found also at Sumatra.Petai (Parkia speciosa) and tapioca shoots are also frequently added.
Sambal Kicap
Made from a mix of sweet soy sauce, shallot, garlic,bird's eye chili for any fried dishes especially for fried banana, friedtempeh or condiment forsoto andbihun soup.
Sambal Goreng
Dishes consist oftempeh,anchovies, peanut fried together with sambal until dried.
Sambal Kacang
Condiment for satay.
Sweet Sambal
This is sambal made from dried chillies, fresh chilies,belacan andgula Melaka (palm sugar) as main ingredients. Sweet sambal is traditionally served withnasi lemak and also side dishes fried crispy anchovies, toasted peanuts, boiled egg and cucumber.[65]
Sambols in Sri Lanka differ from those originating in Malaysia and Indonesia, in that they are generally made from uncooked ingredients, such as fresh chillies, shallots, coconut, garlic, which are then ground with a mortar and pestle and mixed with a citric acid, such as lime or lemon juice. They resemble a Mexicansalsa or Laotianjaew.[66]
This is a hot/sweet sambal of theSri Lankan cuisine that includes onion, crumbledMaldives fish, and spices as its main ingredients. Its name, also spelled as "sini sambol" or "seeni sambal", is derived from the local word for "sugar".[67]
This is a sambal made of scraped coconut (pol and thengkai mean coconut in Sinhala and Tamil, respectively), onion, green chilli, red chilli powder, and lime juice as its main ingredients. Sometimes, crumbled Maldives fish is also added, and tomatoes can be used instead of lime juice for flavor.[67]
This is a red onion sambal. The name "lunu miris" can be literally translated as "salt chili" and is a paste of red chilli pounded with sea salt. A widespread derivative iskatta sambal, which adds onions, crumbled Maldives fish, salt, and lime juice to the chilli-and-salt mixture.[67][68]
This is sambal made of boiled and mashed plantain, scraped coconut, chopped green chillies and onion, salt and lime juice. Vaalai kai means unripe plantain in Sri Lankan Tamil.
Sambal can also be used as an ingredient to a dish, which uses a large amount of chili peppers. The dishes started with the termsambal goreng means "fried sambal" dishes. It refer to stir fried sambal mixed with certain ingredients such assambal goreng kentang (potato),sambal goreng hati (liver),sambal gorengkrechek (cow's skin),sambal goreng teri (anchovy), etc. InPadang cuisine, any dishes started withbalado- (lit: with chili pepper) indicate thesambal-mixed dish. Dishes bearing the wordsambal include:
Sambal lalab
Sambal lalab
Sambal served withlalab (assorted of fresh vegetables), consumed as a dip dressing forsalad. A Sundanese dish.
Sambal cumi with squid or cuttlefish
Sambal sotong orSambal cumi
(with cuttlefish or squid)
Sambal udang kering
(with dried prawns), also known in Penang as "Sambal Hae Bee"
orsambal shrimp (with fresh shrimp), also known asudang balado. A Minang dish.
Sambal jamur
(with oyster mushroom). An Indonesian dish.
Sambal radio
A traditional dish from Sarawak, it is an omelette mixed with fried belacan and anchovies.
Sambal ikan
A Malay-style dish prepared fromfish and spices and cooked until the fish loses its shape. Available in varieties, some are in the shape of dryfish floss known asserunding ikan, and some are moist such assambal ikan bilis (anchovies) orsambal ikan tongkol (skipjack tuna).
Sambal daging/serunding daging
A Malay style sambal prepared from meat and spices and cooked for more than 4 hours until the meat loses its shape, similar tomeat floss.[70]
^Alford, Jeffrey; Duguid, Naomi (2005).Mangoes & Curry Leaves: Culinary Travels Through the Great Subcontinent. Artisan Books. p. 30.ISBN9781579655655.
^abcGunawardena, Charles A. (2005).Encyclopedia of Sri Lanka. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 96.ISBN9781932705485.
