Chili Sambal
Ingredients
500 g/1 lb onions, finely sliced
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup oil
250 g/8 oz pounded Maldive fish
1 strip pandanus leaf
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
60 g/2 oz dry red chillies, pounded
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons lime juice
salt to taste
Directions
Fry onions in half the oil until golden and set aside. Heat remaining oil and fry the Maldive fish for a few minutes, stirring. Add pandanus leaf, garlic, ginger and chillies. Stir and fry until fragrant. Add ground spices and onions, cover and cook for 10 minutes, adding a little water if necessary. Stir in lime juice and salt and bootle when cool. Serve in small quantities as an accompaniment.
Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)