This method changed the way I make Sambal

Update Jan 2026: This video now has Indonesian subtitles kindly contributed by one of our friends from Indonesia. Thank you for your support and hope it helps viewers from Indonesia or Malaysia! 00:00 Introducing Sambal 00:43 Starting from basics 01:21 Sambal Upgrade 1: Mix of chillies 02:59 Sambal Upgrade 2: Aromatics 06:05 Sambal Upgrade 3: Sugar, Acid, Umami 08:31 Sambal Upgrade 4: Fry in oil 13:01 Sambal Upgrade 5: Added Texture 16:17 Bonus: Sambal Kang Kong If you’ve been to Asia, you might have tried a chilli sauce/paste called Sambal. It’s spicy, aromatic, and pairs well with many dishes. But there are many variations and ingredients in there. So what exactly makes sambal taste good? Here's my take into discovering what each ingredient does and why I blend the ingredients with oil instead of water. My sambal recipe makes about 600g (2 cups approx) 320g fresh chillies (18 pieces) 20g dried chillies (36 pieces) 3g salt (1/2 teaspoon) 100g shallot (5 pieces) 60g onion (1 small onion) 40g garlic (5 garlic cloves) 20g old ginger (2-3cm small knob) 20g blue singer (2-3cm small knob) 10g torch ginger (3cm stalk) 6 pieces of kaffir lime leaf 10g lemongrass (half a stalk) 30g gula melaka (1 small cube) 3g lime juice (half lime) 10g tamarind paste (mix with 40g water to extract pulp and remove seeds) 20g dried anchovies (2 handful) 10g dried shrimp (1 handful) 10g belachan (1 thin slice)