Easy Balinese Raw Sambal Matah Recipe | An Indonesian Chilli Condiment

Sambal Matah is a popular Indonesian condiment, particularly associated with Balinese cuisine. it is a delicious accompaniment with almost any barbecued seafood dish. The name “Sambal Matah” literally translates to “raw sambal”, which makes perfect sense since It’s a fresh raw chilli sauce that's chunky and made with shallots, lime juice, chilies and coconut oil and requires very little cooking. In this recipe, you can control the spice heat level by adding or reducing the chilies or selecting less spicy chilies. Since I live in Indonesia, I can tell you that although it originates from the island of Bali, however, I find this sambal in many restaurants across the country and is quite a staple in Indonesian food. I love this Balinese raw sambal, so much so that I even dip cucumbers and tomatoes in it. I’ve even wrapped it in salad leaves. It’s simple to make and is a staple in my home.

About this Recipe:
This Balinese sambal matah recipe may vary from household to household, but they typically include shallots, birds eye chillies, lemongrass, kafffir lime leaves and coconut oil to give it that freshness and authentic flavor. It's essentially using raw ingredients I like to add a bit of MSG to my chilli to boost the umami effect, but you can simply leave it out if you prefer. But if you’ve been reading my blog, you’ll know that I’m no stranger to MSG as I feel that it helps bring out the flavors of many recipes. This it uses fresh ingredients, it's best to consume within 2-3 days.

Essential Ingredients:

The Chillies

Depending on the spice level that you like you can use cabe rawit also known as red birds eye chillies to really give it a strong spiciness level. If the spice is an issue, simply use only the large red chillies as these tend to have a milder spice level.

Shrimp Paste (Terasi)

Terasi, also known as shrimp paste, is a traditional Southeast Asian condiment commonly used in Indonesian, Malaysian, and Thai cuisines. It is made from fermented ground shrimp.  After fermentation, the mixture is sun-dried, resulting in a solid, dry, and pungent block or cake. The process of making terasi involves fermenting small shrimp which results in a strong, distinctive aroma and a concentrated umami flavor. In this recipe, I call for 7 grams of terasi, but you can reduce it to just a teaspoon tsp shrimp paste or leave it out altogether if it's just too strange for you. But I absolutely love it and it kicks the overall recipe up a notch. Warning: It does stink up your kitchen so be sure to open your windows!

However, if you really don't like the smell or flavor of ther shrimp paste, then simpy leave it out and you wil still have a fresh, vibrant and delicious sambal.

Kaffier Lime Leaf

These leaves add a beautiful lime aroma and flavor to the raw sambal. But some people opt to leave it out, which is totally fine. I've had excellent sambal matah without the use of kaffir lime leaves. If this is your first time making it then I would suggest to try and add it to get the full aromatic experience.

Coconut oil

This recipe really calls for coconut oil as it gives this particular sambal its trademark flavor and aroma. If you can't get a hold of this then grapeseed oil will work as well

Sambal Matah Recipe Ingredients

5 thin Chilies (24 grams) finely chopped  with the seeds taken out

15 Shallots (100 grams) finely chopped

3 garlic cloves (10 grams) slices thinly 

2 stalks of fresh lemongrass stems 5 grams) with the husk removed and chopped finely 

5g Toasted Indonesian shrimp paste called Terasi (In Singapore and Malaysia, this paste is known as Belacan) chopped into a powdery form

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt (4 grams)
2 teaspoons sugar (10 grams)

1 teaspoon of MSG or chicken stock powder (4 grams)

1 tablespoon lime juice or juice of one lime 5g

3 tablespoons of Coconut oil (30 grams)

3 kaffir lime leaf sliced thinly (Chiffonade style) with spine removed (1 gram)

Recipe Instructions:

1. Prepare the Ingredients:

   - Add the shallots, bird's eye chilies, lemongrass kaffir lime leaves, salt, sugar and msg into a bowl and mix evenly. Let it rest for about 15 minutes and you’ll notice the shallots will release its own juices which will help to develop of the flavor the sambal. That’s when you know its done

2.  Prepare the Aromatic Oil:

   - In a pan on medium heat, cook the coconut oil until it's hot but not smoking and add the crumbled terasi.on medium heat cook for 30 seconds and stir and make sure it doesnt burn because it will become bitter

4. Add the lime

   - add the lime juice to the whole mixture

Serving Suggestions:

- This raw chili sauce is great as a condiment alongside grilled fish, chicken, or meats.

- It pairs exceptionally well with traditional Indonesian dishes like Nasi Goreng (fried rice) or another Balinese dish called Ayam Betutu (slow-cooked spiced chicken).

- Enjoy it with steamed rice or as a topping for Indonesian satay.

- I like to use it with my sous vide chicken recipe ontop of hot steamed rice

Remember, the key to a great Sambal Matah is the freshness of the ingredients and the balance of flavors. Adjust the spice level and seasoning according to your taste preferences.

What to serve it with 

-  Ayam Goreng Penyet which is an Indonesian fried chicken recipe. Try out my Indonesian Chicken Recipe
- Sous Vide Chicken
- Indonesian meat dishes
- Hot steamed rice
- Barbecued fish and shrimp

- I've even used this in a focaccia recipe, check it out here.
- Or sprinkle ontop of a fried egg, I promise you it works!

Final Tip: Do store in an airtight container and consumer within 2-4 days.

Give this Indonesian sambal a try and let me know what you think in the comments below