Sambal Matah~Balinese famous Condiment, spicy, raw and fresh

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According to the bibliography of Balinese cuisine there are around 33 different kind of sambal, I was amaze to know about this. Like many Indonesian, Balinese food tends to be preferred rather spicy, the merge between spiciness, tastiness and complexities of the spices used are interesting, somehow I do call it an exotic dish!

Among other diversity of Balinese sambal, Sambal matah is the most famous condiment in Bali and I’m going to reveal here.

As it called Sambal matah so sambal means condiment or mind blowing Indonesian side dishes and matah means raw (mentah) and fresh, so sambal matah would made in a way by it left raw and remain fresh. 

My style of sambal matah before is pretty simple and to be honest it isn’t gives enough bang as it one of well-known condiment for Balinese cuisine, as the time passing by also I have the chance to live in the island it self and living surrounding by the Balinese, of course I have learn a lot from them.

There is no doubt that they are really lovely people whom love to share and spreading their cuisine to others unconditionally.

Well, Bali is famed after all, it brings you indulge the truest sense of delightful Balinese cuisine and undoubtedly make your escape blissful and the best!

Sambal Matah

Balinese condiment, spicy, raw and fresh

Ingredients 

100 gr shallots (bawang merah), finely slice

1 tbsp finely slice torch ginger bud/ginger flower

( bunga kecicang, bunga kantan) 
*take the inner part of the flower and finely slice 

2 lemongrass, take the white part and finely slice

8-9 bird eye chillies, finely slice

*you may less the quantity to make it mild

2 limau lime (jeruk limau), substitute calamansi or lime

4 tbsp coconut oil, substitute canola oil or olive oil

1 tsp toasted shrimp paste

Salt to taste

What to do

In a bowl, place finely slice shallots, chili, lemon grass and torch ginger.

Add toasted shrimp paste (terasi/belachan) and season with salt.

Add-ins coconut oil, mix well all the ingredients

This is very important steps, 

using your finger tip gently mash and squeezed the ingredients 

in order to create the truest and perfect Balinese sambal matah flavour.

Once all done, squeeze the juice of limau lime and mix well.

Serve as side dish condiment along with your fried fish, 

grilled fish and also works well for other chicken dishes.