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1
Toast the Belacan
5 Mins
Medium heat, ~180°C (350°F)
Put the slab of belacan in a small, dry frying pan over medium heat. Toast for 3–5 minutes, turning once, until it smells deeply savoury and crumbles easily. Let it cool completely.
If the belacan smokes, the heat is too high — lift the pan off the burner for a moment.
Done when: Fragrant, dry and crumbly belacan that breaks apart easily.
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2
Pound the Chillies and Shallot
5 Mins
Room temperature, ~22°C (72°F)
Put the red chillies, bird's eye chillies, shallot and garlic in a stone mortar with a pinch of the sugar to help the grinding. Pound with the pestle until a coarse paste forms, with visible flecks of chilli skin.
Pound, do not stir — the pestle's weight does the work. A blender makes it smooth, and smooth is not sambal belacan.
Done when: A coarse, juicy red paste with texture you can see.
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3
Work in the Belacan and Sugar
3 Mins
Room temperature, ~22°C (72°F)
Crumble the cooled, toasted belacan into the mortar with the remaining sugar. Pound gently until the belacan is evenly worked through the paste while the texture stays coarse.
Press and fold rather than grinding hard — the belacan should meld, not disappear.
Done when: An even, dark-red paste that smells of toasted shrimp and fresh chilli.
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4
Stir in the Lime Juice
2 Mins
Room temperature, ~22°C (72°F)
Stir in the lime juice with a spoon, taste, and add a little more if you like it sharper. The paste should taste hot, salty, sour and faintly sweet all at once.
Add the lime last so you can judge the balance — too much lime early hides the belacan.
Done when: Bright, balanced heat with a clean citrus finish.
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5
Rest and Serve
5 Mins
Room temperature, ~22°C (72°F)
Rest for 5 minutes so the flavours meld, then spoon into a small bowl. Serve at room temperature — a tablespoon is plenty alongside rice, grilled fish or nasi lemak.
Five minutes of rest rounds off the raw chilli edge.
Done when: A glossy, coarse red relish, ready for the table.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Spoon into a small bowl and serve at room temperature — a tablespoon is plenty alongside rice, grilled fish or nasi lemak.
Malaysia
1h 10m
