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Sambal is an
Indonesian Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to: * Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia ** Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local inhabitants of the archipelago ** Indonesian ...
chilli sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of a variety of chilli peppers with secondary ingredients, such as shrimp paste,
garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...
,
ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices ...
, shallot, scallion,
palm sugar Palm sugar is a sweetener derived from any variety of palm tree. Palm sugar is sometimes qualified by the type of palm, as in coconut palm sugar. While sugars from different palms may have slightly different compositions, all are processed s ...
, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an
Indonesian Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to: * Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia ** Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local inhabitants of the archipelago ** Indonesian ...
loan-word A loanword (also loan word or loan-word) is a word at least partly assimilated from one language (the donor language) into another language. This is in contrast to cognates, which are words in two or more languages that are similar because th ...
of Javanese origin (). It originated from the culinary traditions of Indonesia, and is also an integral part of the cuisines of Malaysia,
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
, Brunei and Singapore. It has also spread through overseas Indonesian populations to the Netherlands and
Suriname Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...
. (Indonesian) Various recipes of ''sambals'' usually are served as hot and spicy
condiments A condiment is a preparation that is added to food, typically after cooking, to impart a specific flavor, to enhance the flavor, or to complement the dish. A table condiment or table sauce is more specifically a condiment that is served separate ...
for dishes, such as ''
lalab ''Lalab'' (Sundanese: , ''Lalab'') or ''lalap/lalapan'' (Indonesian) is a Sundanese raw vegetable salad served with ''sambal terasi''. It is a popular Sundanese vegetable dish originated from West Java & Banten, Indonesia. There are no set ru ...
'' (raw vegetables), ''
ikan bakar Ikan bakar is an Indonesian and Malaysian dish, prepared with charcoal- grilled fish or other forms of seafood. ''Ikan bakar'' literally means "grilled fish" in Indonesian and Malay. Ikan bakar differs from other grilled fish dishes in that ...
'' (grilled fish), ''
ikan goreng Ikan goreng is an Indonesian and Malaysian dish, consisting of deep fried fish or other forms of seafood. ''Ikan goreng'' literally means "fried fish" in Indonesian and Malay languages. Ikan goreng is very popular in Indonesia. Usually, the fis ...
'' (fried fish), ''
ayam goreng Ayam goreng is an Indonesian and Malaysian dish consisting of chicken deep fried in oil. ''Ayam goreng'' literally means "fried chicken" in Malay, Indonesian and also in many Indonesian regional languages (e.g. Javanese). Marination and spi ...
'' (fried chicken), '' ayam penyet'' (smashed chicken), ''
iga penyet Iga penyet ( en, Squeezed ribs) is Indonesian Eastern Javanese cuisine — fried beef spare ribs served with spicy sambal terasi. The fried beef ribs is squeezed against a mortar filled with sambal, and usually served with lalab vegetables and ...
'' (ribs) and various '' soto'' soup. There are 212 variants of sambal in Indonesia, with most of them originating from Java.


History

Sambal is often described as a hot and spicy Indonesian relish. However, its main ingredient, chili pepper of the genus '' Capsicum'', is not native to Southeast Asia, but from the
Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...
. Common variants used in sambal recipes include Cayenne pepper and bird's eye chili pepper (both varieties of '' Capsicum 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 the
Columbian exchange The Columbian exchange, also known as the Columbian interchange, was the widespread transfer of plants, animals, precious metals, commodities, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the New World (the Americas) in ...
. Researchers note that the people of the Maritime Southeast Asia were already familiar with a type of hot and spicy relish prior to the 16th century. A hot spice called had become a valuable commodity in the Javanese market as early as the ancient Mataram Kingdom era, circa the 10th century. The 14th century Majapahit Javanese Nagarakretagama manuscript mentions island which is identified as Lombok island, which is also the area that produced a spice called red . In today's modern Javanese, the term refers to 'chilli pepper', yet the term probably originally referred to a native hot spice prior to the introduction of capsicum. The Indonesian languages' terms for 'chilli pepper' are ''cabai'' or ''cabe'', yet the word ''cabya'' 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 ''Piper retrofractum'', the Balinese long pepper or Javanese long pepper, is a flowering vine in the family ''Piperaceae'', cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit of ''Piper retrofractum'' is ...
''). 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. 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 making jamu (Javanese traditional herbal drink). Nowadays, the plant is considered rare. Another historian suggests that it was
ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices ...
that was used as a hot spice agent in the ancient form of sambal. Ginger, cabya, and andaliman are among the earliest hot spices used in early sambal-like hot relish, followed by the introduction of
pepper Pepper or peppers may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plant ** Black pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae ** Bell pepper ** Chili ...
circa 12th century from India, and finally the introduction of chili pepper from the Americas in the 16th century. The Javanese manuscript
Serat Centhini ''Serat Centhini'' is a twelve volume compilation of Javanese tales and teachings, written in verse and published in 1814. The work was commissioned, directed and partially written by Crown Prince Mangkunegoro, later enthroned as Pakubuwono V of ...
(1819–1912) records sixteen sambal variants in Java. The recipe book Mustika Rasa (1967), written and composed by Hartini
Sukarno Sukarno). (; born Koesno Sosrodihardjo, ; 6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970) was an Indonesian statesman, orator, revolutionary, and nationalist who was the first president of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967. Sukarno was the leader of ...
, presented 63 recipes of sambals. In 2017, Murdijati Gardjito, a food researcher from Gadjah Mada University, identified hundreds of variants of sambals in Indonesia; 212 of them have a clear origin, while 43 have an unclear origin. 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. 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.


Preparation and availability

Traditional sambals are freshly made using traditional tools, such as a stone
pestle and mortar Mortar and pestle is a set of two simple tools used from the Stone Age to the present day to prepare ingredients or substances by crushing and grinding them into a fine paste or powder in the kitchen, laboratory, and pharmacy. The ''mortar'' () ...
. Sambal can be served raw or cooked. There are two main categories of sambals in Indonesia, they are ''sambal masak'' (cooked) and ''sambal 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, while ''sambal mentah'' or raw sambals are more common in eastern Indonesia. The chilli pepper, garlic, shallot, and tomato are often freshly ground using a mortar, while the ''terasi'' or ''belacan'' (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. 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 as ''sambal dadak'' (lit. 'impromptu sambal' or 'freshly made sambal'). Nevertheless, in most ''
warung A warung ( old spelling: waroeng or warong) is a type of small family-owned business — a small retail, eatery or café — in Indonesia (and to a lesser extent, Malaysia and Suriname). A ''warung'' is an essential part of daily life in ...
'' 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
warung A warung ( old spelling: waroeng or warong) is a type of small family-owned business — a small retail, eatery or café — in Indonesia (and to a lesser extent, Malaysia and Suriname). A ''warung'' is an essential part of daily life in ...
, traditional markets, supermarkets, and convenience stores. Most are bottled sambal, with a few brands available in plastic or aluminium sachet packaging. Compared to traditional sambals, bottled instant sambals often have a finer texture, more homogenous content, and thicker consistency, like tomato 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, among others are
Huy Fong Foods Huy Fong Foods is an American hot sauce company based in Irwindale, California. It was founded by David Tran, a Vietnamese-born immigrant, beginning in 1980 on Spring Street in Los Angeles's Chinatown. It has grown to one of the leaders in the A ...
' ''sambal oelek'', Heinz ABC ''sambal terasi'' and several variants of sambal
Indofood PT Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk is a major Indonesian company involved in the food industry. The company's headquarters are located in South Jakarta, Jakarta. History Indofood was founded in 1968 as Lambang Insan Makmur, an instant noodles busin ...
.


Varieties of chili

The most common kinds of peppers used in sambal are: *
Adyuma The habanero (; ) is a Pungency, hot variety of chili pepper, chili. Unripe habaneros are green, and they color as they mature. The most common color variants are orange and red, but the fruit may also be white, brown, yellow, green, or purple. ...
, also known as ''
habanero The habanero (; ) is a hot variety of chili. Unripe habaneros are green, and they color as they mature. The most common color variants are orange and red, but the fruit may also be white, brown, yellow, green, or purple. Typically, a ripe haba ...
'': a very spicy, yellow, and block-shaped pepper. * Cayenne pepper: a shiny, red, and elongated pepper. * ''
Madame Jeanette Madame Jeanette is a chili pepper cultivar of the species ''Capsicum chinense'', originally from Suriname. The fruits are shaped like small bell peppers. Madame Jeanette chilis are very hot, rated 125,000–325,000 on the Scoville scale. The pep ...
'': a yellowlight green, elongated, irregularly shaped pepper. * Bird's eye chili, also known as in Javanese: a very spicy, greenred, elongated pepper approximately wide and long. * Chilli peppers known as in Javanese: a mild, greenred, elongated pepper. Green chilli peppers are milder than red ones. * ''Cabe taliwang'': a pepper spicier than the Bird's eye chilli, similar in spiciness to the ''
naga jolokia The ghost pepper, also known as ''bhut jolokia'' (which literally means 'Bhutan pepper' in Assamese), is an interspecific hybrid chili pepper cultivated in Northeast India. It is a hybrid of ''Capsicum chinense'' and ''Capsicum frutescens''. I ...
'', its name is supposedly the origin from which Lombok Island, or "the Island of the Chili", derives its name.


Indonesia

In the Indonesian archipelago, there are as many as 212 to 300 varieties of sambal. The intensity ranges from mild to very hot. Some varieties include: ;''Sambal andaliman'': Similar to ''sambal lado mudo'' but with the addition of '' andaliman'' pepper. ;''Sambal asam'': This is similar to ''sambal terasi'' with an addition of tamarind 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 than ''sambal asam''. ;'' Sambal balado'': 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. Minang ''sambal balado'' often mixed with other ingredients to create a dish, such as egg, eggplant, shrimp or anchovy. ;''Sambal bawang'': Sambal made from sliced shallot, chilli pepper, garlic, shrimp paste and lemon juice. ;''Sambal belimbing'' or ''sambal belimbing wuluh'': Sambal made of sour tasting ''belimbing wuluh'' (''
Averrhoa bilimbi ''Averrhoa bilimbi'' (commonly known as bilimbi, cucumber tree, or tree sorrel) is a fruit-bearing tree of the genus ''Averrhoa'', family Oxalidaceae. It is a close relative of the carambola tree. Description ''Averrhoa bilimbi'' is a small tro ...
''), can be found in some places in Indonesia, especially in Java and East Nusa Tenggara. ;''Sambal bengkoang'': Jicama (''bengkoang'') sambal, made from the mixture of jicama or replaced with
water chestnut Water chestnut may refer to either of two plants (both sometimes used in Chinese cuisine): * The Chinese water chestnut ('' Eleocharis dulcis''), eaten for its crisp corm * The water caltrop The water caltrop is any of three extant species of th ...
, red chillies, garlic, Asian basil, shrimp paste and lemon juice. ;''Sambal berandal (brandal)'': A fried sambal made with
kemiri nut ''Aleurites moluccanus'', the candlenut, is a flowering tree in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, also known as candleberry, Indian walnut, ''kemiri'', varnish tree, ''nuez de la India'', ''buah keras'', ''godou'', kukui nut tree, and ''rata ke ...
s, garlic and onion. Sometimes tamarind (asem) or kaffir 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. ;''Sambal buah'': (lit: fruit sambal) Speciality of
Palembang Palembang () is the capital city of the Indonesian province of South Sumatra. The city proper covers on both banks of the Musi River on the eastern lowland of southern Sumatra. It had a population of 1,668,848 at the 2020 Census. Palembang ...
, made from the mixture of chilli, shrimp paste, ''kemang'' (a type of
mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree ''Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South a ...
) and pineapple. ;''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. ;'' Sambal colo-colo'': From
Ambon Ambon may refer to: Places * Ambon Island, an island in Indonesia ** Ambon, Maluku, a city on Ambon Island, the capital of Maluku province ** Governorate of Ambon, a colony of the Dutch East India Company from 1605 to 1796 * Ambon, Morbihan, a co ...
, it consists of chilli, tomato pieces, shallots and lime 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. ;'' Sambal dabu-dabu'': Dabu-dabu comes close to the Mexican
salsa Salsa most often refers to: * Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments * Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music * Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music Salsa or SALSA may also refer to: A ...
, it is of Manado origin. It consists of coarsely chopped tomatoes, calamansi or known as ''lemon cui'' or ''jeruk kesturi'', shallots, chopped bird's eye chili, red chilli, basil, poured with hot vegetable oil, salt. ;''Sambal durian'' or ''Sambal tempoyak'': It is made from fermented durian called '' tempoyak''. 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'', the bitter bean, twisted cluster bean or stink bean, is a plant of the genus ''Parkia'' in the family Fabaceae. It bears long, flat edible beans with bright green seeds the size and shape of plump almonds which have a ra ...
(''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, 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. ;''Sambal gandaria'': Freshly ground ''sambal terasi'' with shredded '' gandaria'', a kind of tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia. ;''Sambal goang'':An extra hot
Sundanese Sundanese may refer to: * Sundanese people * Sundanese language * Sundanese script Standard Sundanese script (''Aksara Sunda Baku'', ) is a writing system which is used by the Sundanese people. It is built based on Old Sundanese script (' ...
sambal associated with the town of Tasikmalaya, made from the mixture of cayenne pepper, garlic, salt and ''kencur'' (''
Kaempferia galanga ''Kaempferia galanga'', commonly known as kencur, aromatic ginger, sand ginger, cutcherry, is a monocotyledonous plant in the ginger family, and one of four plants called galangal. It is found primarily in open areas in Indonesia, southern Ch ...
''). ;''Sambal goreng'': 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 as ''sambal goreng ati'' (mixed with diced liver) or ''sambal goreng udang'' (added with small shrimp). ;''Sambal jenggot'': Sambal with addition of grated coconut, similar to urap. ;''Sambal jengkol'': Freshly ground ''sambal terasi'' mixed with sliced fried ''
jengkol ''Archidendron pauciflorum'', commonly known as djenkol, jengkol or jering is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae. It is native to Southeast Asia, where the seeds are a popular dish.Lim, T. K. "Archidendron jiringa." Edible Me ...
'', a kind of tropical bean with slightly stinky aroma native to Southeast Asia. Sambal jengkol can be found in Sundanese and Cirebon cuisine. ;''Sambal kalasan'': Sometimes also called ''sambal jawa,'' a Javanese stir-fried sambal similar to sambal tumis. It uses a handful of ''gula jawa''
palm sugar Palm sugar is a sweetener derived from any variety of palm tree. Palm sugar is sometimes qualified by the type of palm, as in coconut palm sugar. While sugars from different palms may have slightly different compositions, all are processed s ...
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 for ''
nasi uduk ''Nasi uduk'' (Indonesian: "''nasi'' ''uduk''") is an Indonesian style steamed rice cooked in coconut milk dish, especially popular in Betawi cuisine. Etymology According to the book "Kuliner Betawi Selaksa Rasa & Cerita" (2016) composed by A ...
'', ''ketan'', or '' otak-otak''. The simple version only employ ''cabe rawit'' chilli, crushed fried peanuts, and water. ;''Sambal kecap'': A sambal consists of Indonesian ''kecap manis'' (sweet soy sauce), red chilli, tomato pieces, shallots and lime, it has a sweet and spicy taste and usually used for barbecue dishes. ;''Sambal kecombrang'': A sambal made from ''kecombrang'' ('' Etlingera elatior'') flower, mixed with red cayenne pepper, shallot, garlic, salt and lime leaves. ;''Sambal kemangi'': Sambal made with a mixture ''kemangi'' ( Lemon basil) fragrant leaf. ;''Sambal kemiri'': This is similar to ''sambal terasi'' with addition of candlenuts. ;''Sambal kenari'': Sambal made with a mixture of ''kenari'' (''
Canarium ovatum ''Canarium ovatum'', the pili (Central Bikol and Filipino: ''pili'', ;), is a species of tropical tree belonging to the genus ''Canarium''. It is one of approximately 600 species in the family Burseraceae. ''C. ovatum'' are native to the Ph ...
'') nut, speciality of Maluku islands. ;''Sambal lado mudo'' or ''sambal ijo'': Literally a Minangkabau word for "green sambal". It is also known as sambal hijau or sambal ijo, also "green sambal". Sambal lado mudo, a West 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 lampung'': A popular variant of slightly sweet chilli, garlic, tomato sambal of Lampung origin, Sumatra. ;''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 and ''leunca'' (''
Solanum nigrum ''Solanum nigrum'', the European black nightshade or simply black nightshade or blackberry nightshade, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Solanum'', native to Eurasia and introduced in the Americas, Australasia, and South Africa. Ripe ...
'') berries. ;''Sambal luat'': Sambal made of the mixture of red chilli pepper, ''terasi'' shrimp paste, key lime juice, shallot, scallion, coriander, tomato, salt. Specialty of East Nusa Tenggara province. Usually consumed as a condiment to accompany ''
Se'i ''Se'i'' or ''sei'' is an Indonesian smoked meat from Kupang, Timor island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. ''Se'i'' may be derived from a variety of meats, with pork (''se'i babi''), beef (''se'i sapi'') or game animals such as venison (''se'i ru ...
'' smoked pork or beef. ;''Sambal matah'': Raw shallot and lemongrass sambal of
Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nu ...
origin. It contains a lot of finely chopped shallots, chopped bird's eye chilli, lemongrass, cooking oil with a dash of lime juice. ;''Sambal petai'': A mixture of red chilli, garlic, shallot, and ''
petai ''Parkia speciosa'', the bitter bean, twisted cluster bean or stink bean, is a plant of the genus ''Parkia'' in the family Fabaceae. It bears long, flat edible beans with bright green seeds the size and shape of plump almonds which have a ra ...
'' green stinky bean as the main ingredients. ;''Sambal petis'': An east Javanese sambal uses chilli,
petis Shrimp paste or prawn sauce is a fermented condiment commonly used in Southeast Asian and Southern Chinese cuisines. It is primarily made from finely crushed shrimp or krill mixed with salt, and then fermented for several weeks. They are eith ...
(a kind of shrimp paste), peanuts, young banana, herbs and spices. ;''Sambal pencit/mangga muda'': Green
mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree ''Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South a ...
sambal from
Central Java Central Java ( id, Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakarta in t ...
. Freshly ground ''sambal terasi'' with shredded young unripe
mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree ''Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South a ...
. This is a good accompaniment to seafood. ''Pencit'' means young mango in Indonesian. ;''Sambal plecing'': Originating from Lombok island, the sambal consists of Lombok's chili variety and Lombok's ''lengkare'' shrimp paste, tomatoes, salt, and lime juice. ;'' Sambal rica rica'': A hot sambal from Manado region, it uses ginger, chili, lemon and spices. Suitable for barbecue meats and chicken. ;''Sambal roa'': Spicy smoked ''roa'' fish (
halfbeak Hemiramphidae is a family of fishes that are commonly called halfbeaks, spipe fish or spipefish. They are a geographically widespread and numerically abundant family of epipelagic fish inhabiting warm waters around the world. The halfbeaks are ...
) sambal from Manado region, North Sulawesi. ;''Sambal rujak'': '' Rujak'' spicy sauce, made from palm sugar, tamarind, chilli pepper and shrimp paste. ;''Sambal setan'': A very hot sambal with Madame Jeanette peppers (red brownish, very sharp). The name literally means "devil's sauce". It is popular in
Surabaya Surabaya ( jv, ꦱꦸꦫꦧꦪ or jv, ꦯꦹꦫꦨꦪ; ; ) is the capital city of the Provinces of Indonesia, Indonesian province of East Java and the List of Indonesian cities by population, second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. L ...
. ;''Sambal taliwang'': This variant is native to Taliwang, a village near Mataram, Lombok Island, and is made from
naga jolokia The ghost pepper, also known as ''bhut jolokia'' (which literally means 'Bhutan pepper' in Assamese), is an interspecific hybrid chili pepper cultivated in Northeast India. It is a hybrid of ''Capsicum chinense'' and ''Capsicum frutescens''. I ...
pepper grown specially in Lombok, garlic and Lombok shrimp paste. A kilogram of
naga jolokia The ghost pepper, also known as ''bhut jolokia'' (which literally means 'Bhutan pepper' in Assamese), is an interspecific hybrid chili pepper cultivated in Northeast India. It is a hybrid of ''Capsicum chinense'' and ''Capsicum frutescens''. I ...
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 from Tegal in Central Java that consists of chili pepper, salt and the addition of sour fermented cassava called ''
tapai ''Tapai'' (also ''tapay'' or ''tape'') is a traditional fermented preparation of rice or other starchy foods, and is found throughout much of Southeast Asia, especially in Austronesian cultures, and parts of East Asia. It refers to both the ...
''. Usually served to spice up krupuk crackers or vegetables. ;''Sambal tauco'': A
Sulawesi Sulawesi (), also known as Celebes (), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the world's eleventh-largest island, it is situated east of Borneo, west of the Maluku Islands, and south of Mindanao and the Sulu Ar ...
sambal, contains the Chinese tauco, lime juice, chilli, brown sugar, and salt. ;''Sambal terasi'':A common Indonesian style of sambal. Similar to the Malaysian '' belacan'', but with a stronger flavour, since '' terasi'' is more tangy and fermented. Red and green peppers, ''terasi'', sugar, salt, lemon or lime juice (tangy, strong). One version omits the lime juice and has the sambal fried with pounded tomatoes. Popularly eaten raw. Alternate spelling in the Netherlands: ''trassi'' or ''trassie''. ;''Sambal teri lado'': A Padang speciality, sambal is made using chilli pepper, tomato, shallot, spices, and mixed with salted ''ikan teri'' ( anchovy). The sambal is stir fried and similar to Malay ''sambal ikan''. ;''Sambal tomat'': 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 with ''lalapan''. 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 spicy condiments typically served in Batak cuisine of Batak people, native of Tapanuli region,
North Sumatra North Sumatra ( id, Sumatra Utara) is a province of Indonesia located on the northern part of the island of Sumatra. Its capital and largest city is Medan. North Sumatra is Indonesia's fourth most populous province after West Java, East Java and ...
, Indonesia. The ingredients to make ''sambal tuktuk'' is similar to other chili sauce ingredients, distinguished by the use of ''andaliman'' ( Sichuan pepper). It is often served as ''tuktuk aso-aso'', being mixed with dried fish called ''aso-aso'' (a type of dried and preserved
mackerel Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly from the family Scombridae. They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment. ...
), but sometimes ''aso-aso'' fish is replaced with fresh anchovy. ;''Sambal tumis'': Chilli fried with ''belacan'' 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 as ''sambal kangkong'', ''sambal cumi'' (
squid True squid are molluscs with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight arms, and two tentacles in the superorder Decapodiformes, though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also called squid despite not strictly fitting t ...
) and ''sambal telur'' (
egg An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the a ...
). ;''Sambal tumpang'': Javanese sambal made from the mixture of chili pepper, other spices and ''semangit'' (old and pungent) tempeh. ;''Sambal udang bawang'': A speciality sambal from
Surabaya Surabaya ( jv, ꦱꦸꦫꦧꦪ or jv, ꦯꦹꦫꦨꦪ; ; ) is the capital city of the Provinces of Indonesia, Indonesian province of East Java and the List of Indonesian cities by population, second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. L ...
. 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 of
Surabaya Surabaya ( jv, ꦱꦸꦫꦧꦪ or jv, ꦯꦹꦫꦨꦪ; ; ) is the capital city of the Provinces of Indonesia, Indonesian province of East Java and the List of Indonesian cities by population, second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. L ...
often called it ''Njaluk Sambal'', as they eat it with fragrant steamed white rice. ;''Sambal ulek (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 old pre-1972 Indonesian spelling which in has since become ''ulek''. The pronunciation has not changed and is in line with Malay pronunciation. Nevertheless, most suppliers use outdated spelling. ''Cobek'' is Indonesian special stoneware derived from the common village basalt stone kitchenware still ubiquitous in kitchens, particularly in Java. The ''cobek'' is a mortar shaped like a hybrid of a dinner and soup-plate with an old, cured bamboo root or stone pestle (''ulek'' or ''ulekan'') employed in an ''ulek'' manner: a crushing and twisting motion (like using a screwdriver) for crushing lime leaves, chilies, peppers, shallots, peanuts, and other kinds of ingredients. ;''Sambal stroberi'': A sambal made with
strawberries The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus '' Fragaria'', collectively known as the strawberries, which are cultivated worldwide for their fruit. The fruit is widely ap ...
originated from
Bandung Bandung ( su, ᮘᮔ᮪ᮓᮥᮀ, Bandung, ; ) is the capital city of the Indonesian province of West Java. It has a population of 2,452,943 within its city limits according to the official estimates as at mid 2021, making it the fourth most ...
, West Java. Usually served to accompany breaded fish cutlet. ;''Sambal uyah-lombok'': 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.


Malaysia

;''Sambal belacan'': A Malay style sambal. Fresh chillies are pounded together with toasted shrimp paste (''belacan'') in a stone mortar to which sugar and lime juice are added. Originally, ''limau kesturi'' or calamansi lime, is used but since this is scarce outside of Southeast Asia, normal lime is used as a replacement. Tomatoes are optional ingredients. Sometimes, sweet-sour mangoes or equivalent local fruits are also used. It can be eaten with cucumbers or ''ulam'' (leafy herbs) in a meal of rice and other dishes. A Malaysian-Chinese version is to fry ''belacan'' with chili. ;''Sambal jeruk'': Green or red pepper with kaffir lime. In Malaysia, it is called ''cili'' (chili) ''jeruk'' (pickle). Sometimes vinegar and sugar are substituted for lime. Used as a condiment with fried rice and noodle-based dishes. ;''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 the tempoyak 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 in Pahang and
Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
of Peninsular Malaysia, sambal tempoyak could be found also at Sumatra.
Petai ''Parkia speciosa'', the bitter bean, twisted cluster bean or stink bean, is a plant of the genus ''Parkia'' in the family Fabaceae. It bears long, flat edible beans with bright green seeds the size and shape of plump almonds which have a ra ...
(''Parkia speciosa'') and tapioca shoots are also frequently added. ;''Sambal Kicap'': Made from mixed of sweet soya sauce, shallot, garlic, bird's eye chili for any fried dishes especially for fried banana, fried tempeh or condiment for soto and bihun soup. ;''Sambal Goreng'': Dishes consist of tempeh, 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'' and ''gula Melaka'' (
palm sugar Palm sugar is a sweetener derived from any variety of palm tree. Palm sugar is sometimes qualified by the type of palm, as in coconut palm sugar. While sugars from different palms may have slightly different compositions, all are processed s ...
) as main ingredients. Sweet sambal is traditionally served with ''
nasi lemak ''Nasi lemak'' is a dish originating in Malay cuisine that consists of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. It is commonly found in Malaysia, where it is considered the national dish. It is also the native dish in neighbouri ...
'' and also side dishes fried crispy anchovies, toasted peanuts, boiled egg and cucumber.


Sri Lanka

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 Mexican
salsa Salsa most often refers to: * Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments * Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music * Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music Salsa or SALSA may also refer to: A ...
or Laotian jaew. ;''
Seeni sambol Seeni sambol ( si, සීනි සම්බෝල ), also known as Sini sambol or Sawi sambol, is a traditional Sri Lankan condiment. It is a caramelised onion chutney or relish, with flavours which are spicy, sweet and aromatic. It is served as ...
'': This is a hot/sweet sambal of the Sri Lankan cuisine that includes onion, crumbled Maldive 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". ;'' Pol sambol/Thengkai sambal'': 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 Maldive fish is also added, and tomatoes can be used instead of lime juice for flavor. ;''
Lunumiris Lunumiris ( Sinhala:ලුණු මිරිස් unu-mirismeans salt and chillies in Sinhalese. Traditionally it is made with ground chillies and salt mixed together into a paste. Some also refer it as "Katta Sambal" but Katta sambal or sam ...
(Katta sambal)'': 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 is ''katta sambal'', which adds onions, crumbled Maldive fish, salt, and lime juice to the chilli-and-salt mixture. ;''Vaalai kai sambal'': 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.


Dishes

''Sambal'' can also be used as an ingredient to a dish, which uses a large amount of chili peppers. In Padang cuisine, any dishes started with '' balado-'' (lit: with chili pepper) indicate the ''sambal''-mixed dish. Dishes bearing the word ''sambal'' include: ; ''Sambal lalab'': Sambal served with ''
lalab ''Lalab'' (Sundanese: , ''Lalab'') or ''lalap/lalapan'' (Indonesian) is a Sundanese raw vegetable salad served with ''sambal terasi''. It is a popular Sundanese vegetable dish originated from West Java & Banten, Indonesia. There are no set ru ...
'' (assorted of fresh vegetables), consumed as a dip dressing for salad. A Sundanese dish. ; ''Sambal sotong'' or ''Sambal cumi'': (with cuttlefish) ; ''Sambal udang kering'': (with dried prawns), also known in Penang as "Sambal Hae Bee" ; ''Sambal lengkong'': (with ikan parang/
wolf herring The wolf herrings are a family (biology), family (Chirocentridae) of two marine species of ray-finned fish related to the herrings. Both species have elongated bodies and jaws with long sharp teeth that facilitate their ravenous appetites, mostl ...
). ; ''Sambal belut'': (with eel). An Indonesian dish. ; ''Sambal goreng ati'': (with cow's or chicken liver, potato, and sometimes
petai ''Parkia speciosa'', the bitter bean, twisted cluster bean or stink bean, is a plant of the genus ''Parkia'' in the family Fabaceae. It bears long, flat edible beans with bright green seeds the size and shape of plump almonds which have a ra ...
). An Indonesian dish. ; ''Sambal goreng teri kacang'': (with anchovy and peanuts). An Indonesian dish. ; ''Sambal goreng kering tempe'': (with tempeh). An Indonesian dish. ; ''Sambal goreng krecek'': (with cow or water buffalo skin cracker). A Javanese dish. ; ''
Sambal goreng udang Udang balado or Sambal goreng udang is a hot and spicy shrimp dish commonly found in Indonesian cuisine. It is made of shrimp, either peeled or unpeeled, stir-fried in hot and spicy sambal paste in small amount of cooking oil. Ingredients The '' ...
'': or
sambal shrimp Udang balado or Sambal goreng udang is a hot and spicy shrimp dish commonly found in Indonesian cuisine. It is made of shrimp, either peeled or unpeeled, stir-fried in hot and spicy sambal paste in small amount of cooking oil. Ingredients The '' ...
(with fresh shrimp), also known as ''udang 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 from fish and spices and cooked until the fish loses its shape. Available in varieties, some are in the shape of dry fish floss known as ''serunding ikan'', and some are moist such as ''sambal ikan bilis'' ( anchovies) or ''sambal ikan tongkol'' (
skipjack tuna The skipjack tuna (''Katsuwonus pelamis'') is a medium-sized perciform fish in the tuna family, Scombridae. It is otherwise known as the balaya (Sri Lanka), bakulan/kayu (North Borneo), tongkol/aya (Malay Peninsula/Indonesia), aku (Hawaii), cakal ...
). ;''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 to
meat floss ''Rousong'' or ''yuk sung or bak hu'' ( ; ), also known as meat floss, is a dried meat product with a light and fluffy texture similar to coarse cotton, originating from China. ''Rousong'' is used as a topping for many foods, such as congee, to ...
.


See also

* Balado, Minang style ''sambal goreng'' * Hot sauce, also known as chili sauce or pepper sauce *
Salsa Salsa most often refers to: * Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments * Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music * Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music Salsa or SALSA may also refer to: A ...
*
Indonesian cuisine Indonesian cuisine is a collection of various regional culinary traditions that formed the archipelagic nation of Indonesia. There are a wide variety of recipes and cuisines in part because Indonesia is composed of approximately 6,000 popula ...
*
Malaysian cuisine Malaysian cuisine consists of cooking traditions and practices found in Malaysia, and reflects the multi-ethnic makeup of its population. The vast majority of Malaysia's population can roughly be divided among three major ethnic groups: Mala ...
* '' Nam phrik'', the Thai equivalent of sambal * Singaporean cuisine * Peranakan cuisine * Filipino cuisine


References

{{Sri Lankan cuisine Anchovy dishes Bruneian cuisine Chili sauce and paste Dips (food) Food paste Indonesian condiments Indonesian words and phrases Malay cuisine Malay words and phrases Malaysian condiments Philippine cuisine Singaporean cuisine Sri Lankan condiments Surinamese cuisine Spicy foods