Sambal Sotong

Sambal Sotong

Sambal sotong is a signature Malay Peranakan dish which is essentially squid fried with chilli paste. This simple and appetising dish is very common in Malaysian cuisine. The sambal is made of a mixture of chilli peppers, belacan and several spices, herbs and aromatics to bring out the smell and taste of the sambal. This dish is easy to create and goes perfectly with a bowl of fragrant, steaming rice.

This recipe is published in Violet Oon Cooks (page 26), a cook book by Violet Oon.

Sambal Sotong

• CourseMain Dish

• CuisineMalay, Peranakan

Servings4 people

Ingredients

• 500g medium-sized squid

• 5tbsp vegetable oil

• 3/4cup coconut milk

• 1/2tsp salt

• 1 1/2tbsp sugarmay replace with gula melaka

• 1tbsp tamarind pulpaka assam

• 1/4cup water

Spice mixture (rempah)

• 5 candlenutsaka buak keras

• 10 fresh red chillisliced

• 1stalk lemon grasscleaned

• 10 shallotspeeled

• 1/2tsp shrimp pasteaka belacan

Instructions

1. Pound candlenuts, add chilli and lemon grass and continue pounding to make a rough paste. Add shrimp paste and shallots and pound till fine. #Tip: Alternatively, grind all ingredients in a food processor.

2. Clean squid, peel off skin and cut into 2 cm rings. Wash the tentacles and cut away the black ink sac. Pat dry with paper towels.

3. Mix the tamarind pulp with water, knead and strain through a sieve to remove seeds. Retain the tamarind water.

4. Heat a wok or saucepan. Add the oil and heat till it starts to smoke. Add the ground spice mixture and stir fry lightly till the spice mixture dries up, oil exudes and the mixture smells fragrant.

5. Add the salt, sugar, tamarind water and coconut milk and bring to a boil on high heat.

6. Add the squid and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat to medium low and simmer for 10-15 minutes till the squid is well cooked and tender. #Tip: You can continue to simmer for 15 minutes more for the squid to become more tender.

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