Sambals

In the West, sambals have come to mean the side dishes served with a curry, but this is several steps away from the original  South-east Asian term, which was, and still is, applied to a number of hot, spicy relishes, sauces and similar accompaniments that are based on chilies. Sambals are particularly popular in Indonesia, and feature strongly in the famous Rijstafel, a veritable feast which includes dozens of different dishes, and which was developed in the days when Indonesia was still the Dutch East Indies. Thanks to the connection, Rijstafel is also well know and loved in the Netherlands, and bottled sambals are widely available in that country.

In Indonesia, a sambal can also be a main dish. Sambal goreng, for instance is a spicy chili sauce, which may include a variety of foods such as tiny meat balls, cubes of fish, wedges of hard-boiled eggs or vegetables.

In Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia sambal blachan (chili and shrimp paste sambal) is a favorite. Fresh red chilies are roughly chopped, then pounded with a little salt and prepared shrimp paste (blachan). A little lime or lemon juice is added to the mixture to loosen it slightly. Sambal blachan is extremely hot - especially when the seeds have been left in the chilies - so deserves to be served with a health warning! Sambal oelek is similar, but a little brown sugar is added to the chopped chilies to bring out the flavors. Sometimes labelled "chopped chili", this product is now sold in jars in many supermarkets. One teaspoonful(5ml) is equivalent to 1 small chili. After use, the jar should be closed tightly and kept in the fridge.

At a typical Thai meal there may be one or two sambals in addition to the much loved nam prik, a combination of dried prawns, shrimp paste (blachan), garlic, chilies, fish sauce, lemon juice and brown sugar. Nam prik complements raw, steamed, fried or boiled vegetables and is often simply stirred into a bowl of plain boiled or steamed Thai rice. Another popular sambal is made from fish sauce, lemon juice, shallots and chilies; a blend that enhances all kinds of fish and seafood dishes.

In Veitnam the salt and pepper of the Western table is replaced by nuoc cham. This is a piquant sambal made from, chilies, garlic, sugar, lime juice or rice vinegar, and fish sauce and is the classic combination of hot, sweet, sour and salt flavors that is so typical of Vietnamese cooking.

Sambals and sauces are usually served in small bowls or saucers. At a family meal pieces of cooked meat, fish or vegetables may be dipped into a communal bowl or a tiny spoonful of the sambal may be put on each diner's plate, but on special occasions small individual dishes are sold in many Asian stores and oriental supermarkets.

For the freshest flavors mix the sambal ingredients just before serving. Use a food processor or blender to blend the wet ingredients and a pestle and mortar to grind the dry ingredients.

Any leftover sambals are best stored in a glass jar in the fridge. Before putting on the lid, cover the jar with a piece of greaseproof paper or clear film to protect the lid from corrosion.