Episode 1 Belacan To Toast Or Not To For The Perfect Sambal Tumis Food

SAMBAL BELACAN

Steps:

• Belacan has an intense aroma, so it is best to open a window or turn on the stove's exhaust fan to its highest setting when toasting it. Toast the belacan in a frying pan over medium heat, using the back of a spatula to rub it against the surface of the pan. Stir and continue to toast until it is brittle and lightens in color, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
• Seed the chiles if you prefer a milder sauce. Finely chop the chiles. Transfer the chiles and makrut lime leaf to a mortar, and grind with a pestle until blended. Stir in the toasted belacan and continue to pound until you obtain a fine, dark paste. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, pulse the ingredients with a small blender or food processor to form a chunky purée. Use a spatula to keep pressing down the paste as you blend to make it smoother.
• Add sugar and salt to taste. Sugar helps tone down the pungency; salt is optional and usually unnecessary. The sauce should be a balance between savory and spicy. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, squeeze the limes into the sambal and mix well.

MALAYSIAN SAMBAL BELACAN RECIPE

Steps:

• Blend the onion and garlic with some oil with an electric blender. Add some water to facilitate blending if necessary.
• Boil the dried chili in water for ten minutes. Remove and drain.
• Cut fresh red chilies into sections. Blend both chilies with some oil and water to form a chili paste.
• Soak the dried shrimp in water for fifteen minutes. Drain. Blend the dried shrimp until it looks like meat floss.
• Place the belacan in a small pan without oil, roast it slowly until it is thoroughly dry, and break up into large granules.
• Saute the onion and garlic over low to medium heat until slightly brown and aromatic.
• Soak the tamarind pulp in hot water for ten minutes, then remove the pulp and seeds by pouring through a strainer.
• Add the dried shrimp, belacan, palm sugar chili paste, and tamarind juice to the sambal. Simmer over low heat for thirty minutes.
• Season with salt.
• When the red oil starts bubbling around the paste, it is done.

SAMBAL TUMIS

Steps:

• Put the anchovies in a bowl of cold water and soak for 5 minutes. Put the dried chiles in a small pot, add water to cover and boil for 5 minutes or until chiles begin to soften. Drain the chiles, remove stems, slice open lengthwise and scrape out seeds. (Chile seeds can irritate the skin, so wear rubber or plastic gloves.) Remove and discard seeds from the Thai and red chiles and slice. Transfer all chiles to a food processor, pulse to blend and set aside.
• In a ramekin or small bowl, combine the belacan with 1 teaspoon water, mixing and adding more water as needed until there are no lumps. Drain the anchovies and add to the chiles in the food processor, along with the hydrated belacan, shallots, garlic, diced tomato and 1/3 cup of canola oil. Process into a smooth purée. (If the mixture still seems chunky, add more oil, a tablespoon at a time, and process until smooth.) In a separate ramekin or small bowl, mix tamarind paste with 2 teaspoons water until the paste is smooth and loose.
• Heat the remaining 1/3 cup of oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the sambal purée and lemongrass stalks; stir tamarind into the sambal until combined and add salt to taste. Cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until the oil begins to separate and the sambal has thickened and turned brownish-red.
• Add the sambal to dish of your liking, such as mee goreng, or serve with fried tempeh. (Once it's added to a dish, remove the lemongrass. If storing the sambal for later use, keep the lemongrass.) When stored in small containers, sambal tumis can last for up to one week in the refrigerator, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.