Nasi Lemak Sambal Sotong

Introducing, one of my favourite nasi lemak dishes - the Sambal Sotong! A good sambal requires the right blend of ingredients from making the sambal paste to preparing the dish. Just to share the recipe for trying it at home :)

Sambal Sotong(serves 4)

Ingredients to be grounded or blended:

8-10 shallots
2 tsp Belacan(dried shrimp paste)
5 tbsp Chili Paste(I would always like to use fresh chili and make the paste myself)
4 macadamia nuts
4 cloves garlic

Other Ingredients:

450-500g of fresh calamari/squid, cleaned and cut into rings
4tsp olive oil or vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 tomatoes, quartered
1 tbsp tamarind paste
1 cup water
1 tsp brown sugar
salt

Preparation Method:

1. In a small bowl, mix the tamarind paste with the water, strain and discard seeds.
2. Grind the shallots, garlic, belacan, macadamia nuts, chili paste using a mortar & pestle or simply just blend it til it becomes a paste.
3. Heat wok on high flame, add oil and stir-fry ground paste until toasted and oil starts oozing. You'll be able to smell the fragrance of the ingredients. This process usually takes about 5 minutes.
4. Add onions, tomatoes, tamarind juice, sugar and salt to taste.
5. Cover and reduce flame to medium, to allow tomatoes to simmer to well stew and sauce to thicken.
6. Add squid/calamari and simmer til opaque. This process is very quick, remember to not overcook the squid!
7. Allow the flavors to be absorbed into the squid/calamari before serving.

Final Product - served with nasi lemak or white rice with side dishes of peanuts, cut cucumbers, stir-fried vegetable, sambal ikan-bilis(anchovies) and 1/2 of a boiled egg. Yummy! Bon Appétit!