Sambal Bajak

Instructions

1. Prepare the chilies
   Wash all chilies thoroughly. For a milder sambal, remove the seeds from the red chilies. Leave the bird's eye chilies intact for extra heat or deseed them for a milder version.
2. Blend the paste
   In a food processor or blender, combine the red chilies, bird's eye chilies, shallots, and garlic. Pulse until you achieve a coarse paste. You may need to add 1-2 tablespoons of water to help with the blending process.
3. Fry the paste
   Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the chili paste mixture and fry for about 10-12 minutes until fragrant and the oil begins to separate from the paste. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
4. Add aromatics
   Add the toasted shrimp paste, tamarind mixture, palm sugar, salt, kaffir lime leaves, and lemongrass. Continue to stir and cook for another 10 minutes until the mixture darkens and the oil rises to the surface.
5. Caramelize
   Reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sambal thickens and becomes more deeply caramelized. The oil should separate clearly from the mixture, indicating it's done.
6. Cool and store
   Remove the lemongrass stalk. Let the sambal cool completely before transferring to sterilized glass jars. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for longer storage.