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Sambal belacan in a bowl.
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4.82 from 16 votes

Sambal Belacan

Sambal Belacan is a quintessential Malaysian condiment and a fundamental component of Malaysian cuisine. Discover the best and most authentic sambal belacan with my easy, step-by-step recipe.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Sambal
Cuisine: Malaysian Recipes
Keyword: Sambal Belacan
Servings: 4
Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

  • 4 oz (125g) red chilies seeded, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon belacan shrimp paste
  • salt to taste
  • 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Calamansi lime juice or lime juice

Instructions

  • Clean the chilies under running water, then seed and slice them. Transfer the chilies to a mortar.
  • Heat a wok or pan over low heat and toast the belacan until it becomes aromatic. It should turn dry and powdery after toasting. Transfer it to the mortar with the red chilies and pound with the pestle until fine. (Some people prefer their sambal belacan a bit coarse, so adjust to your taste.)
  • Transfer the mixture to a bowl, then add salt and sugar to taste, along with lime juice (or calamansi lime juice). Blend well. You can store the sambal in the refrigerator for a couple of days or freeze it for longer storage.

Notes

If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can use a mini food processor to grind everything. If you like extra fiery kick in your sambal, you can add a few bird's eye chilies.

Nutrition

Serving: 4people | Calories: 31kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 274IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg