Recipe: Durian Sambal

Last week I posted the recipe for tempoyak, the fermented durian paste that is a popular ingredient in traditional Malay cuisine. Like Thailand’s durian guan, tempoyak is made with leftover or inedible durian and is a way to preserve excess. But unlike durian guan, no one eats tempoyak with a spoon!

One of the most common ways to use tempoyak is in sambal, a spicy condiment that can be served with anything. It’s like the Malay version of ketchup, except that its most important ingredient is ground chiles! I don’t know how Malaysians cooked before the introduction of the chile pepper from the New World, because everything I’ve tentatively tasted via prodding from well-meaning Malaysian hosts is spicy enough to bring me to tears. I was blown away by the sheer heat of the tempoyak dish we were served in Jerantut, and my esophagus burned for a good hour after.

There are a few different kinds of sambal, but all are a collection of intense flavors. In this version, the onion and garlic are replaced by the sulfurous durian. Traditionally served with fried fish, it would be a zesty addition to
baked or fried tofu or eggplant. If you’re a raw foodist, add some
durian sambal to a dehydrated zucchini dish, add to a lettuce wrap, or
use as a dip.Vegetarians omit the shrimp paste and substitute something salty like soy sauce, dulse flakes, or celery powder.

This recipe is only for those of you who enjoy a hot belly and a profusely sweating forehead. If you love durian and spicy food, you’ll love this!

Durian Sambal

Recipe from: http://elinluv.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

Method :

1. Toast the belacan ( shrimp paste ) in a grill pan (vegetarians see above).

2. Pound
the chillies in a mortar and pestle, add the hot toasted shrimp paste and pound until well mixed.
 3. Scoop into a bowl and and stir in the tempoyak until thoroughly mixed. 

Related posts:

• Recipe: Tempoyak
• Recipe: Durian Guan