Images and recipes from Cornersmith Salads and Pickles by Alex Elliott-Howery and Sabine Spindler (Murdoch Books, RRP $39.99) Photography by Alan Benson.

 

Chilli sambal

 

PREPARATION TIME

20 minutes, plus 20 minutes sterilising, plus 10 minutes heat-processing (optional)

STORAGE

3 months,
or up to 2 years
if heat-processed

MAKES

4–5 x 375 ml  (13 fl oz/11/2 cup) jars

 

750 g (1 lb 10 oz) long mild red chillies

250 g (9 oz) carrot

50 g (1¾ oz) knob of fresh ginger

4 garlic cloves

55 g (2 oz/¼ cup) sugar

1 tablespoon salt

185 ml (6 fl oz/3/4 cup) white wine vinegar

 

“We make mountains of this sambal when chilli season is in full swing. It’s a staple at Cornersmith, and in all our fridges at home. So quick and easy to make, it gives tacos, rice dishes, marinades and breakfast eggs a good hit of heat.

We use carrot as a base in this recipe as it adds sweetness and gives the sambal a fantastically bright colour, but you could experiment with other bases such as green mango or pineapple. Try green or yellow chillies too.

With fruit-based sambals, you may need to add more vinegar to loosen them. Keep tasting and adjusting the sugar/salt ratio until you’re happy with the flavour.” p63

Sterilise your jars and lids (see page 212).

Roughly chop the chillies, carrot, ginger and garlic cloves. Place in a food processor with the sugar and
salt and blitz for 5 minutes. Slowly pour in the vinegar until your sambal has a smooth consistency; you may need to adjust the quantity.

When the jars are cool enough to handle, pack the sambal into the jars, pressing down firmly to make sure the chilli paste is covered in a thin layer of liquid.

Remove any air bubbles by gently tapping each jar on the work surface and sliding a clean butter knife or chopstick around the inside to release any hidden air pockets. Wipe the rims of the jars with paper towel or a clean damp cloth and seal immediately.

You can store the sambal in the fridge for up to 3 months, or heat-process the jars (see page 211) for 10 minutes and store in a cool, dark place for up to 2 years.

Once opened, refrigerate and use within 3 months.

 

 

TIP: If your chillies are extra hot, you can always change the ratio of the sambal. Try 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) carrot to 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) chillies – or even 750 g (1 lb 10 oz) carrot to 250 g (9 oz) chillies.