Balinese Sambal Matah — Wongso-Inspired

About This Recipe

This dish is inspired by William Wongso's championship of regional Indonesian cuisines — particularly the cuisines of Bali. Sambal matah ('raw sambal') is one of Bali's defining contributions to Indonesian cuisine — a fresh, raw relish of finely sliced shallots, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and chilies, dressed with hot coconut oil and lime. Unlike most Indonesian sambals, it is never cooked; the heat comes from the oil being poured over the raw ingredients.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 12small Asian shallots(or 4 medium shallots, very thinly sliced)
• 3 stalkslemongrass(tender white parts only, very thinly sliced)
• 8kaffir lime leaves(stems removed, very thinly sliced into chiffonade)
• 8Thai bird chilies(thinly sliced; adjust to taste)
• 4 clovesgarlic(very thinly sliced)
• 1 tspshrimp paste (terasi)(toasted briefly)
• 1lime(juiced (calamansi if available))
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt
• 60 mlcoconut oil(or neutral oil)
• 0.5 tsppalm sugar(optional, finely grated)

Instructions

1. 1

   Slice everything VERY thinly

   All the ingredients must be sliced paper-thin — the texture is the dish. Use a sharp knife. Shallots into rings, lemongrass into hairlike slices, lime leaves into chiffonade, garlic and chilies into thin slices.

   Spend the time on slicing — sambal matah's quality is 90% knife work.

2. 2

   Toast the shrimp paste

   Wrap the terasi in foil. Toast in a dry pan for 60 seconds per side until aromatic. Crumble. (This step makes it food-safe and develops the flavour.)

3. 3

   Combine the raw ingredients

   In a bowl, combine the shallots, lemongrass, lime leaves, chilies, garlic, toasted terasi and salt. Massage gently for 30 seconds.

4. 4

   Heat the oil

   Heat the coconut oil in a small pan until almost smoking — about 180°C.

5. 5

   The pour

   Pour the hot oil OVER the raw ingredients. They should sizzle aggressively. Stir gently. The hot oil 'cooks' the raw ingredients lightly while preserving their fresh character.

   This is the moment that defines the sambal — don't pre-cook the ingredients.

6. 6

   Finish with lime

   Off the heat, stir in the lime juice and palm sugar (if using). Taste — it should be bright, hot, fragrant, slightly sweet. Adjust.

7. 7

   Serve at room temperature

   Serve in a small bowl alongside grilled fish, rice or any Indonesian dish. A spoonful per portion is enough.

Variations

• •

  Sambal Matah Salmon: serve over seared salmon for a Wongso-style fusion.

• •

  Coconut-Heavy: increase coconut oil to 100ml and add 30g toasted desiccated coconut.

• •

  Garlic-Free: omit garlic for a more delicate variation popular in Karangasem regency.

Storage

Best eaten same day. Refrigerates for 24 hours; loses fragrance quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions