Sambal Bawang (Shallot Chili Sauce)
Simple shallot-chili sambal — spicy and aromatic. Perfect with fried foods, nasi uduk, fried chicken.
Want to scale this recipe?
Use the Indonesian Spice Calculator — enter the amount of meat/chicken/chili you need and all spices auto-scale proportionally.
Ingredients
Main Ingredient
- ▸100 g chili Bird's eye chili
Spice Paste
- ▸100 g Bird's eye chili (red)
- ▸30 g Shallots (≈ 3 pieces)
- ▸10 g Garlic (≈ 2 cloves)
Seasoning & Garnishes
- ▸2.5 g Salt (≈ 0.5 tsp)
- ▸1 g Sugar (≈ 0.25 tsp)
- ▸30 ml Hot cooking oil (≈ 2 tbsp, for pouring)
Instructions
- 1Wash bird's eye chilies and shallots. Briefly fry the chilies and shallots in hot oil (1-2 minutes) until wilted but not burnt.
- 2Drain the oil. Transfer to a mortar with salt and a pinch of sugar.
- 3Pound coarsely — leave a chunky texture with visible pieces of chili and shallot.
- 4Pour 2-3 tablespoons of the hot frying oil over the sambal. Mix well.
- 5Serve with fried chicken, fried fish, raw vegetable platter (lalapan), or hot steamed rice.
Cooking Tips
- ●Briefly fry/grind chili with shallots first (1-2 min) to release heat without bitterness.
- ●Pour HOT oil over freshly-pounded sambal + salt — the 'sizzle' makes it aromatic.
- ●For mild heat, use 50% bird's eye + 50% red curly chili.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to cook Sambal Bawang (Shallot Chili Sauce)?▾
10 min total (PT5M prep + PT10M cook). For the most authentic result, don't rush — especially the slow reduction stages.
How many servings does this recipe yield?▾
5 servings from 100 g chili of main ingredient. For larger gatherings, use the spice scaling calculator — all spices scale proportionally.
Where does this recipe come from? Is it authentic?▾
Base recipe sourced from Sajian Sedap, NCC. All references are publicly available and widely cited among Indonesian home cooks.
Can I substitute ingredients I can't find?▾
Core spices (chilies, shallots, herbs) define the flavor identity and shouldn't be substituted. Garnishes and add-ons can be adjusted. See cooking tips below for guidance.