Sambal belacan

Adam Liaw's sambal belacan is the perfect pairing for his wok-tossed char kway teow. Pounded chillies are flavoured with toasted belacan (shrimp paste) and zesty lime or calamansi juice is stirred through for freshness.

• serves

  4-5

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Series. Cooking. Rated PG.

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The Cook Up with Adam Liaw

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Ingredients

• 10 g piece firm belacan (shrimp paste)
• 3 large red chillies
• 2 bird’s eye chillies
• ½ lime, juiced (or 10 ml calamansi juice)

Instructions

1. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat and place the belacan in the pan. Toast until it looks dry and crumbly on one side, about 3 minutes, then flip and toast the other side. Remove the seeds from the chillies and roughly chop the flesh.
2. Transfer the chillies to a mortar along with the belacan. Pound them together to a paste that is not chunky, but also not completely smooth. Mix the lime or calamansi juice through and combine with the pestle.

Great served with Adam Liaw's char kway teow recipe.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.