Sambal Belacan
Published Jan. 26, 2022
- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ½ounce/15 grams belacan, also known as dried shrimp paste (about ¼-inch slice; see Tip)
- 3Holland chiles or other fresh red chiles
- 1fresh makrut lime leaf, stem and rib removed
- ¼teaspoon granulated sugar, plus more to taste
- Salt (optional)
- 2calamansi limes or 1 regular lime, quartered
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)
42 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 244 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Belacan has an intense aroma, so it is best to open a window or turn on the stove’s exhaust fan to its highest setting when toasting it. Toast the belacan in a frying pan over medium heat, using the back of a spatula to rub it against the surface of the pan. Stir and continue to toast until it is brittle and lightens in color, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
- Step 2
Seed the chiles if you prefer a milder sauce. Finely chop the chiles. Transfer the chiles and makrut lime leaf to a mortar, and grind with a pestle until blended. Stir in the toasted belacan and continue to pound until you obtain a fine, dark paste. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, pulse the ingredients with a small blender or food processor to form a chunky purée. Use a spatula to keep pressing down the paste as you blend to make it smoother.
- Step 3
Add sugar and salt to taste. Sugar helps tone down the pungency; salt is optional and usually unnecessary. The sauce should be a balance between savory and spicy. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, squeeze the limes into the sambal and mix well.
- Belacan can be purchased online or in Southeast Asian specialty stores, and is usually sold in brick form. Because every brand of belacan tastes a bit different, it is best to season the sauce with sugar and salt to taste.
Private Notes
Comments
Belacan- the "e" is short ("uh"), and "c" is actually "ch") is potent stuff, like a concentrated fish sauce, and super-salty (it doesn't need refrigeration). I just used 1 tsp belacan to flavor about 4 lbs of a braise with equal parts by weight eggplant, onion, potato & canned tomato+spices (garlic, cumin, coriander, fennel, turmeric, chili)+ oil, and the umami is prominent. The sambal's delicious, but use it in tiny doses - 1t+1t butter will flavor a hungry person's serving of plain rice.
As a Malaysian growing up, I was taught to make the sambal belacan by pounding the ingredients in a 'batu lesung' - stone pestle & mortar. The simplest and original sambal belacan is fresh red chillies, (add birds eye chillies for more heat), toasted belacan, fresh calamansi lime juice and pinch of sugar and salt to taste. I don't remember ever using makrut lime leaves, so if you don't have any - leave out.
Belacan or trassi as it is called in B.I. makes you feel peckish when being toasted if you grew up with the smell - like me. The food processor is our friend these days although I still know how to use my tjobeh.
We have a Thai (aka Kaffir) lime tree full of fruit. Could this be substituted for the calamansi?
They are the same tree. Kaffir has an unfortunate connotation in English, so the Thai term 'makrut' is often used.
Calamansi is not the same as Makrut- the fruit look completely different.
You can substitute with lime juice. Makrut/Kaffir limes do not have the same flavor at all. I'd be tempted to add just a small squeeze of orange juice (like 1:4 of lime juice) as my calamansi fruits from my tree are quite tart with very slight sweetness.
As a Malaysian growing up, I was taught to make the sambal belacan by pounding the ingredients in a 'batu lesung' - stone pestle & mortar. The simplest and original sambal belacan is fresh red chillies, (add birds eye chillies for more heat), toasted belacan, fresh calamansi lime juice and pinch of sugar and salt to taste. I don't remember ever using makrut lime leaves, so if you don't have any - leave out.