CHILLI SAMBAL

                         This is one of my favourite dipping sauce in Malaysia. It is a mixture of taste of sour, hot, sweet and tangy. It's a perfect dipping for fried fish or simply steamed veggies of your choice(okra,beans,eggplant etc.). I love it in my fried rice, it adds a bit of an oomph for it.

                                                  Ingredients:

                                                     5 pieces dried chillies, deseeded
                                                     5 pieces fresh finger chillies
                                                      2 pcs. Shallots, peeled
                                                      2 pcs. garlic cloves
                                                      1 inch of ginger, peeled
                                                      5 pcs of calamansi juice or 1 lime
                                                      1 kaffir lime leaf (optional)
                                                      inch by inch piece of belachan or shimp paste
                                                       1 medium ripe tomato
                                                       1 tsp. palm sugar(brown sugar will do)

              Here's how to make it:

                    1.)    Soak the dried cillies in a hot water for at least half an hour before you start preparing..

                    2.)     Prepare the remaining ingredients. Wrap the belachan or shimp paste in an aluminum foil and roast it in the stove (direct fire) for 3 minutes.

                    3.)     Slice the chilli, shallots, garlic, ginger and tomato. Strain the soaked dried chilli. Put all the prepared ingredients in a blender, including the belachan or shrimp paste, fresh kaffir lime leaf( if using) and the juice of the lime or calamansi and sugar. Blitz it altogether and voila! Serve with your lunch or dinner.