Although I have already mentioned sambal dozens of times in this food blog, I think due to its importance in Indonesian cuisine (and my personal love and obsession for it), it’s one of the most important components of many Indonesian meals – either in the cooking or served as a side sauce.
There are about as many different recipes or types of sambal as there are islands in Indonesia, but a classic sambal might include chilies, garlic, shallots, and other local ingredients, all puréed using a mortar and pestle. Some sambals are spicy and salty, others are more sweet, and some sambals are based upon local herbs and spices only available in that specific region.
You’ll find sambal on the table of just about every restaurant in Indonesia you eat at, and if they don’t have any available, if you ask for some, they will make a simple sambal as soon as you ask. To me, sambal is something I look forward to consuming with every Indonesian meal. And it’s not only because I’m a chili lover, but also because I think the diversity and variations of different sambals is a reflection of just how diverse Indonesia and its food are.
Where: You’ll be served sambal with just about any Indonesian food you eat in Indonesia… that’s part of the reason why I love Indonesia so much.
