Sambal Oelek (How to make Indonesian Fermented Chili Paste)

Fermented Sambal Oelek in a mason jar with a spoon.

5 from 2 votes

Sambal Oelek (How to make Indonesian Fermented Chili Paste)

Sambal Oelek is a spicy Indonesian chili paste used as a side dish or condiment that can easily be made at home. It’s spicy, sour, salty and can be made slightly sweet. This recipe includes an optional (but recommended) fermentation step to amp up the flavor. Use it to season noodle dishes, curries, and grilled proteins.

Prep Time15

Ferment Time3

Total Time3 15

Course: condiment

Cuisine: Indonesian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: Servings

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $10

Ingredients

3 cups Peppers - Roughly chopped (350 grams)
1 Small shallot - Peeled and roughly cut
4-6 Garlic cloves
1 ½ tsp Kosher salt - 10 grams (see note about salt amount)
1 tbsp Rice vinegar - Use more or less to taste
2 tsp Lime juice - Use more or less to taste

Instructions

Weigh the pepper mix. To a bowl, add your chopped peppers, garlic and shallot. Weigh the mix.
Salt the pepper mix. To determine how much salt you need, multiply the weight of the peppers by 0.03 (or 3%). Add the salt to the peppers. Note: if you do not plan to ferment the pepper mix, you can season with salt lightly and adjust the seasoning later.
Rest. Stir the pepper mix so that the salt can be distributed and set aside for 15 minutes so the salt can dissolve into the peppers.
Transfer to a food processor. Transfer the pepper mix to a food processor, along with any liquid in the bowl.
Blend. Blend the pepper mixture into a coarse paste. Don’t over process.
Ferment (Optional). Transfer the pepper mash to a mason jar, add a fermentation weight (optional) and fermentation lid (optional). Ferment for at least 3 days at room temperature. If using a regular mason jar lid, burp it daily to release any built-up gasses. After 3 days, you can move on to the next step (or ferment longer if you prefer). Optionally you may strain your sambal to remove any excess liquid.
Season. Season the finished sambal with rice vinegar and lemon juice. Adjust the salt level to your liking.
Store. Store the finished sambal in the refrigerator. Use within 1 month.

Notes

Refer to the post above for step-by-step recipe photos.

Ingredient Notes:

Hot peppers: Traditionally you would use Thai bird chilies, but they can be extremely spicy. I like to use a combination of red chilies (fresh cayenne pepper, Thai chilies, and even red jalapenos).
Sweet peppers: Using sweet peppers is not traditional, but we all have our own spice tolerance. I like to use a bit of sweet red bell pepper to offset the heat of the chilies but feel free to use as much or as little as you like.
Garlic: Sambal is all about balance, and garlic provides that umami flavor punch. Use as much or as little as you like.
Shallot: I like adding a small shallot to my sambal, again, it provides another layer of flavor. You can use half a white onion, or red onion or omit the onion entirely.
Salt: When fermenting, it is important to use kosher salt, pickling salt, or sea salt. Avoid using table salt as it has iodine added to it which can possibly hinder fermentation.
Acid: When the fermentation step is complete, I like to add a combination of rice vinegar and lime juice to my homemade sambal oelek. This balances the flavor but also helps with preservation.

Optional addition: sugar (to help balance the salt and spice).

I recommend using a kitchen scale to get the ideal salt ratio.

The amount of salt needed for fermentation varies depending on the type of food you are fermenting and your personal preference. The general rule of thumb is to use about 2 to 3% salt by weight of the vegetables or fruits being fermented. Here's how you can calculate it:

Weigh Your Vegetables/Fruits: Let's say you have 365 grams of vegetables you want to ferment (as per this recipe)
Calculate the Salt Percentage: For a moderate salt concentration, you can use 3% salt. To find out how much salt you need, multiply the weight of your vegetables by 0.03 (which represents 3%).

So, in this case, you would need 11 grams of salt to achieve a 3% salt concentration. I recommend using a kitchen scale to achieve this level of precision.

Storage Information:

Once you have finished making your sambal, you should store it in your fridge. It will keep in the fridge for several months, but I like to use it up within 1 month.

Nutrition