SAMBAL ASSAM (Sour Chilli Sauce)

SAMBAL ASSAM
(Sour Chilli Sauce)
This is a hot and sour sauce for those of you who enjoy these flavours. The sauce goes well with Ikan Panggang (Barbequed Fish). These sauces can easily be modified to your own taste by adding such other ingredients as sauteed shallots, garlic, more sugar, or less tamarind.

Ingredients:

1 piece ( 3/4 inch square x 1/2 inch) dried shrimp paste (belacan)
9 dried chillies soaked in warm water for several hours.
1/2 Tbsp tamarind paste with 1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar

Method:

1. Pound chillies and belacan to a fine paste. If you do not want it too hot, you can remove the chilli seeds.
2. Add tamarind juice. (Strain out the lumps)
3. Add salt and sugar.
4. Stir well.
5. Serve as sauce condiment.