Sambal is a spicy Southeast Asian condiment made, in its simplest form, from chile peppers and salt. A more elaborate sambal may contain onion, lime juice, lemongrass, sugar, garlic, oil and/or vinegar. You will find sambal in a jar or bottle at an Asian food market or in the international aisle at the grocery store.
There are many varieties of sambal. Sambal Oelek is the kind you're most likely to find in the U.S. ("Oelek", "Olek" or "Ulek" refers to the mortar and pestle used to create sambal in Indonesian kitchens.) One Malaysian version, Sambal belacan, is made with shrimp paste. Sambal ikan bilis has dried anchovies in it. Sambal kemiri contains candlenuts.
Generally speaking, any sambal adds a dark, fiery flavor to dishes. A dollop of sambal can enliven some plain rice or a simply cooked piece of meat. For a quick, bright salad dressing, mix together 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons each of lemon juice and capers, and 1/4 teaspoon of sambal oelek.
Recipe: Spicy Turkey Meatball And Cabbage Soup (Cookthink)
Recipe: Sambal-Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Cookthink)
Recipe: Sambal Borscht (Cookthink)
Recipe: Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork In Barbecue Sauce (Cookthink)
Recipe: Quick-Fix Kimchi (Trail of Crumbs)
Or try another of our sambal recipes.
The spicy streak of sambal gives a simple vegetarian borscht a ripple of fire. Cool it off with a dollop of sour cream at the end.
The clean heat of sambal oelek highlights the flavor of the turkey without overpowering the meat.
A shot of sambal oelek, with all its fiery chili flavor, transforms regular old sweet potatoes into a bright, flavorful side dish.
Warm Sauerkraut And Red Pepper Slaw
Warm Sauerkraut And Red Pepper Slaw
Spicy-sweet raisins perk up the earthy taste of sauerkraut and julienned red peppers for a refreshing winter slaw that's the perfect foil for chili, roasted meats or stew.
Korean cuisine -- hearty, rustic and beautiful -- shines as the unsung hero of Asian cooking. I make this express version of cabbage kimchi -- sometimes adding sliced cucumbers, zucchini or bean sprouts -- whenever I long for a spicy hit of Korea.
Read more about this recipe in Kim Sunée's Trail of Crumbs.
Doesn't this recipe sound good? It is. If you'd like some ideas about what to eat with it, click on the "goes with..." tab to the left. For the lowdown on ingredients, techniques and tools, click on "related tips."
A big bowl of pork, quinoa, and cabbage will fill you up and keep you warm.
Spicy Turkey Meatball And Cabbage Soup
Spicy Turkey Meatball And Cabbage Soup
Doesn't this recipe sound good? It is. If you'd like some ideas about what to eat with it, click on the "goes with..." tab to the left. For the lowdown on ingredients, techniques and tools, click on "related tips."
Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork In Barbecue Sauce
Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork In Barbecue Sauce
If you think far enough ahead, this pulled pork recipe is an easy, smoker-free way to get a good dose of barbecue. The sauce is a pretty traditional one—vinegary and mustardy. The addition of sambal oelek gives the whole thing a little kick.
Baby Back Ribs with Asian Orange-Ginger Glaze
Baby Back Ribs with Asian Orange-Ginger Glaze
The meat is so tender that it falls off the bone. The sauce is sticky, sweet, tangy, with a little hit of chili -- the Asian version of BBQ sauce. The only drawback is that the ribs cook for 4-6 hours.
Read more about this recipe at Steamy Kitchen.
Quick-Pickled Sweet And Sour Radishes
Quick-Pickled Sweet And Sour Radishes
This recipe is adapted from Kylie Kwong's Simple Chinese Cooking. We toned down the soy sauce and traded out some of the sugar for vinegar because we love this dish as a condiment alongside rich, salty meat dishes.
