Basic Sambal Goreng Recipe

Sambal Goreng is a simple Malay dish that can be enjoyed on any day. Cooking the dish may look tedious but a little guide would help make it easy. So here’s my guide to cooking a basic Sambal Goreng dish. Following my guide would take you an hour, slow and easy.

Equipment Needed

• Non-stick wok OR medium stainless steel pot
• Food blender
• Deep fryer OR deep frying pan
• Spatula

In order to make it easier to digest, I have grouped the ingredients for you to prepare before we start cooking. Are you ready? Let’s GO!

Group A

• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 inch galangal
• 1 stick lemongrass

Group B

• 6 packets tempeh OR vacuumed-packed tempeh
• 4 pcs Tau Kwa/Beancurd

Group C

• 1/2 tsp Adabi Asam Jawa Xtra OR any Asam paste will do
• 1 cup Water

Group D

• 1 tsp belacan/dried prawn paste
• 2 tbsp blended dried chillies

If you are blending your own chilies, ensure that you don’t add excessive water. Start with a little water, if insufficient, add on water little by little until if blends into a smooth paste.

Group E

• 1 med Red onion
• 2 pcs Red chilli
• 6 pcs Long beans OR 12pcs green beans
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• Salt to taste

Preparation

Blend all the ingredients in Group A. Start with a little water, adding on more until it forms a smooth paste. Paste should be able to slide off easily when pouring out of the blender jug. Once done set aside.

Cut the ingredients in Group B into bite-sized rectangular pieces. Fry the ingredients until light yellow or pale colour. This is to create a crispy texture whilst maintaining a soft inner. Refer to the image below. Once done set aside.

Taking the ingredients in Group C, combine and stir well. Don’t forget to remove the seeds(if any) from the asam mixture. Set it aside once done.

Half the onion in Group E, then slice it thinly as seen in the image below.

Cut off the tip of the chili in Group E, then half the chili length-wise. Remove the seeds then cut off the stalk. Once done, slice the chili diagonally into thin strips as seen below.

Now cut both ends of the long/green bean then cut into 1.5inch lengths. Once done, set aside all ingredients for cooking.

Let’s Start Cooking Sambal Goreng

1. Pour oil into the wok. If you are using a deep medium pot, pour oil until it covers the base of the pot.
2. Over medium heat, fry the onions and allow them to slightly caramelise
3. Once the onions start to turn slightly yellow and the aroma starts to rise, pour in Group A mix switching down to low heat. Stir the mix well together.
4. Occasionally stir the mix until the aroma starts to rise and the mixture feels light to stir. Then add the chilli boh/blended chilli and mix well.
5. Maintain a low heat and occasionally stir the mix. Allow the mixture to reduce slightly.
6. Once the oil separates from the mixture, add in the asam water. Allow it to simmer for 5mins before adding the belacan/dried prawn paste and sugar.
7. Mix well then add salt to taste.
8. Once done then add in the long beans/green beans. Stir well and ensure that all is coated equally. At this moment, still maintining the low heat.
9. Then add in the tempeh, tau kwa and sliced red chilli. Stir well and ensure that all the ingredients are coated with the mix. Allow room to simmer in between stirring.
10. Allow it to simmer while stirring in between.
11. Once all the ingredients have been coated and the beans cooked. The Sambal Goreng is ready to be served. 🙂

Cooking this recipe is a slow process. Do not rush. Take each group as stacking flavors on top of each other. If one group is not cooked properly, the whole recipe will not taste well.

The Sambal Goreng is not just to be consumed during Eid. It can be consumed on a normal day with just a plate of rice. Other options available on top of this is to add on :

• De-shelled fried prawns OR
• Sliced fried cow’s lung

Hope you had success cooking your own Sambal Goreng. If you love the recipe, please feel free to give me a rating. 🙂

See you in my next recipe!