Sambal Goreng (thing)

Sambal goreng literally means 'fried sambal'. Many Indonesian dishes are called "sambal goreng something": sambal goreng telor (egg), sambal goreng buncis (beans), sambal goreng kering kentang (mini potato chips), etc. They are all dishes featuring fried sambal, or at least fried chilli, and spices.

My personal favorite is sambal goreng telor. To make this, you need (for 5 small servings or two large ones):

• 5 eggs
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic
• half teaspoon trassi
• 1 red pepper
• 2½ cm galangal root
• 1 bay or salam leaf
• ½ teaspoon tamarind paste
• 2 teaspoons Sugar
• half cup coconut milk

Hard boil the eggs. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan. Fry diced onion, minced garlic, trassi, minced pepper and minced galangal slowly for about 10 minutes. Add bay leaf, tamarind, sugar, coconut milk and half a cup of water and cook for five minutes. Peel the eggs , slice them in half lengthwise and heat them through in the sauce for about five more minutes.

You can vary the spiciness of the dish by changing the kind of pepper you use, or by adding sambal. This dish is suitable as part of a rijsttafel or as an Indonesian vegetarian meal, in that case serve with rice and a vegetable dish.