Indonesian Spice Paste (Sambal)

Ms*Bindy's Note:

The tiny red chiles in this recipe are available at Asian groceries. Don't be shy about using these....be bold! This recipe is from Moosewood Restaurant.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 small b ...

• 3 tablespoons oil
• ¼ cup minced onion
• 1 -2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 4 -6 teaspoons tinydried red chilies, crushed or 4 -6 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
• 1⁄3; cup finely minced fresh tomato
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons molasses

Directions:

1. In a small frying pant or in a wok, heat te oil and stir fry the onions and garlic.
2. After a minute, add the hot pepper flakes or dried chiles.
3. Reduce heat and stir constantly so the peppers don't burn.
4. As soon as the flakes darken a little, add the rest of the ingredients and on the lowest heat, cook the sambal until most of the moisture has evaporated, about 15-20 minutes.
5. The final product should be so well cooked that you can't detect the tomatoes.
6. This recipe makes only a small amount, which is all you'll need. Refrigerated, this will keep for months.

Reviews

[Chef Kate]

I took your advice and was bold--as a result I have about triple the amount of the recipe. I used wonderful tiny fire-hot peppers we grew in the summer and dried. The result was so hot that all one could taste was heat--so I backtracked and made the recipe again--without additional chilies. The result--a still fire-hot sambal, but with the wonderful undercurrents of the molasses and onion and garlic. A wonderful sambal. Thanks, Donna!