Lemongrass Shallot Sambal Recipes

LEMONGRASS-SHALLOT SAMBAL

Steps:

• 1. Cut off the hard, brown bottom end and the bristly, greenish top of the lemongrass stalk, which will leave you with a pale, white-and-lilac piece approximately 5 inches long. Discard the tough outer layers. Slice the lemongrass very thinly, then chop the slices as finely as you can - using a very sharp knife will help you enormously. Chopping lemongrass this thoroughly may take a few extra minutes, but it should be the consistency of sand by the time you've finished prepping it. Transfer the lemongrass to a bowl. Make sure that the chiles and shallots are chopped just as finely. Add the chiles, shallots, oil, lime juice, and salt to the bowl. Stir well to combine. Taste again, and add a pinch more salt if needed.
• 2. Transfer to a small serving bowl for guests to spoon from directly and let rest for 10 minutes before eating to allow the flavors to meld.

LEMONGRASS SAMBAL

Steps:

• 1. Place the lemongrass, shallots, garlic, chile, tomato with its juices, the ginger, turmeric, and palm sugar in a food processor. Process to a coarse paste. Add the Tamarind Water, sweet soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Process to blend.2. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Add the lemongrass mixture. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature before serving. This delicious sambal will keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week.Makes about 1 1/4 cups enough to serve 4 to 6

GRILLED SHRIMP WITH FIERY LEMONGRASS-CHILE SAMBAL

Steps:

• For sambal :
• Combine 6 Thai bird chiles (or 2 serrano or jalapeño chiles) and next 12 ingredients in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until finely chopped and paste forms. If spicier sambal is desired, add more chopped chiles to taste and blend again until paste forms. Transfer sambal to small bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sambal and cook until fragrant and lightly browned, stirring constantly and adding more oil by tablespoonfuls if mixture is dry, about 7 minutes. Add 1 cup water; reduce heat to medium and simmer until most of water is absorbed but mixture is still creamy, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and cool. DO AHEAD:Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover sambal and chill.
• For marinade and shrimp:
• Whisk lime juice, 3 tablespoons oil, and 2 tablespoons sambal in small bowl. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk marinade before using, adding more oil by teaspoonfuls if marinade is thick.
• If using unpeeled shrimp, use kitchen scissors to cut shrimp shell along rounded back of tail; scrape out vein with tip of bamboo skewer or tip of small knife. Place peeled or unpeeled shrimp in large glass baking dish. Brush shrimp all over with marinade. Allow shrimp to marinate at room temperature at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush grill rack with oil. Grill shrimp until just opaque in center, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer shrimp to platter. Rewarm remaining sambal and serve alongside for dipping or for spooning atop shrimp.
• Ingredient tip:
• Unpeeled shrimp cook up more succulent and flavorful but are a bit messier to eat than peeled shrimp (which you can use, if you prefer). For ease of preparation, the seafood department at some supermarkets sells uncooked unpeeled shrimp that have already been deveined.

SAMBAL TUMIS

Steps:

• Put the anchovies in a bowl of cold water and soak for 5 minutes. Put the dried chiles in a small pot, add water to cover and boil for 5 minutes or until chiles begin to soften. Drain the chiles, remove stems, slice open lengthwise and scrape out seeds. (Chile seeds can irritate the skin, so wear rubber or plastic gloves.) Remove and discard seeds from the Thai and red chiles and slice. Transfer all chiles to a food processor, pulse to blend and set aside.
• In a ramekin or small bowl, combine the belacan with 1 teaspoon water, mixing and adding more water as needed until there are no lumps. Drain the anchovies and add to the chiles in the food processor, along with the hydrated belacan, shallots, garlic, diced tomato and 1/3 cup of canola oil. Process into a smooth purée. (If the mixture still seems chunky, add more oil, a tablespoon at a time, and process until smooth.) In a separate ramekin or small bowl, mix tamarind paste with 2 teaspoons water until the paste is smooth and loose.
• Heat the remaining 1/3 cup of oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the sambal purée and lemongrass stalks; stir tamarind into the sambal until combined and add salt to taste. Cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until the oil begins to separate and the sambal has thickened and turned brownish-red.
• Add the sambal to dish of your liking, such as mee goreng, or serve with fried tempeh. (Once it's added to a dish, remove the lemongrass. If storing the sambal for later use, keep the lemongrass.) When stored in small containers, sambal tumis can last for up to one week in the refrigerator, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.