Sambal Balado & Balado Prawns 🌶🌶🌶 🇮🇩

 

 

  

If you like a fiery Asian hot sauce, this Indonesian sambal balado is for you.  Originated in West Sumatra, the chilli sauce is very easy to make with just a few ingredients, and it goes tantalisingly well with prawns, grilled fish, fried chicken, eggplants, boiled eggs and potatoes.  The sauce is so flavoursome no other seasonings need to be added to the dish.  Growing up in Hong Kong where chillies are seldom used in Cantonese cooking, I only began to appreciate and cook with them since living in Perth and introduced to the cuisines of neighbouring south east Asian countries.  I have some Singaporean friends who rarely eat a meal without a dish of chillies on the side. The more you eat spicy food, the more you crave them as your tolerance builds up, and some say that eating chillies actually cools you down in hot weather, which we have plenty of here in summer.  I have below a recipe for making the sambal balado, and a recipe for using it to make balado prawns.

Sambal Balado

Makes 1 cup 

INGREDIENTS

• 180g / 6oz red cayenne chillies, roughly chopped
• 6 Asian purple shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 medium-size tomato, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice

METHOD

1. Wash 1 medium-size heat-proof glass jars and lids with hot soapy water.  Rinse well with hot water.  Sterilise by placing it onto a baking tray, then into a preheated 120°C/250°F oven for 20 minutes, or until it is dry and ready to be used.
2. Combine chillies, shallots, tomato in a blender.  Process for about 30 seconds until a coarse paste is formed.
3. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat until hot.  Add the paste and stir fry for a minute.  Add the sugar and salt.
4. Reduce the heat slightly and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes, until the sauce thickens a little and the colour darkens.
5. Stir in lime juice.  Remove from heat.  
6. Transfer balado to the prepared jar and seal with lid.  Label and date.  Keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Balado Prawns

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 12 medium-size raw prawns
• 1-2 tablespoons sambal balado
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 cup frozen green peas or edamames*

METHOD

1. In a small saucepan, parboil peas /edamames.  Drain and refresh under cold water.  Set aside.
2. Remove heads and shells from prawns, then make a slit on the back of each prawn to expose and remove the vein.  (When prawns are prepared this way, they cook quickly and curl up beautifully when stir fried.) 
3. Heat oil in a wok on high until hot.  Add prawns and stir fry for a minute until they start to curl up.  Add a tablespoon of water.  Continue to stir fry until they cook through.
4. Add 1-2 tablespoon of sambal balado to taste.  Toss prawns to combine with the sauce.
5. Add the cooked peas /edamames.  Give it a final toss to mix.  Remove from heat.  Serve hot with rice. 

*Traditionally, 'petai' or stink beans, which have a unique flavour as suggested by their name,  are used with balado prawns.  They can be substituted with green peas or edamames.