Sambal Oelek - Red Chili Sauce

Sambal Oelek is a red chili sauce from Indonesia. Sambal Oelek can be made simply with just red chillies, sugar and salt but our Sambal Oelek red chili sauce recipe contains other ingredients to make a rich spicy sauce. Sambal is an Indonesian word for anything containing a large amount of chillies. When choosing the type of Chili to use in this recipe remember that generally speaking, the smaller the chili, the hotter it will be. Sambal Oelek is meant to be hot so try not to be too conservative with the Chillies.

Ingredients for Sambal Oelek Red Chili Sauce

450 grm Fresh Small Red Chillies,roughly chopped
150 grm Garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
150 grm Fresh Young Ginger, roughly chopped
1 Stalk Lemongrass, roughly chopped
180 mm Rice Vinegar
200 grm Brown Sugar
Salt
1 Tsp Lime juice
Grated Zest of 1 Lime

Method

1. Using a food processor, blender or mortar and pestle, grind the Chillies, Garlic, Ginger and Lemongrass adding the vinegar slowly as you go to make as smooth a paste as possible.

2. Put the mixture into a large pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 3-4 minutes

3. Add the sugar and stir well until dissolved

4. Add salt to taste. Add the Lime Zest. Add the Lime juice to taste

5. Remove from the heat, cool and store in an air tight jar.