Best 2 Sambal Tumis Recipes

SAMBAL TUMIS

Steps:

• Put the anchovies in a bowl of cold water and soak for 5 minutes. Put the dried chiles in a small pot, add water to cover and boil for 5 minutes or until chiles begin to soften. Drain the chiles, remove stems, slice open lengthwise and scrape out seeds. (Chile seeds can irritate the skin, so wear rubber or plastic gloves.) Remove and discard seeds from the Thai and red chiles and slice. Transfer all chiles to a food processor, pulse to blend and set aside.
• In a ramekin or small bowl, combine the belacan with 1 teaspoon water, mixing and adding more water as needed until there are no lumps. Drain the anchovies and add to the chiles in the food processor, along with the hydrated belacan, shallots, garlic, diced tomato and 1/3 cup of canola oil. Process into a smooth purée. (If the mixture still seems chunky, add more oil, a tablespoon at a time, and process until smooth.) In a separate ramekin or small bowl, mix tamarind paste with 2 teaspoons water until the paste is smooth and loose.
• Heat the remaining 1/3 cup of oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the sambal purée and lemongrass stalks; stir tamarind into the sambal until combined and add salt to taste. Cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until the oil begins to separate and the sambal has thickened and turned brownish-red.
• Add the sambal to dish of your liking, such as mee goreng, or serve with fried tempeh. (Once it's added to a dish, remove the lemongrass. If storing the sambal for later use, keep the lemongrass.) When stored in small containers, sambal tumis can last for up to one week in the refrigerator, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

MEE GORENG (SOUTHEAST ASIAN FRIED NOODLES)

Steps:

• Cook noodles according to package instructions.
• Heat prepared sambal tumis in a wok or large skillet for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add cooked noodles, tofu or tofu puffs and bok choy and stir to make sure everything is mixed with the sambal. (If the noodles start to stick together, add a splash or two of water until they loosen.)
• Heat the canola oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp; season with salt and cook for about 5 minutes, or until pink and opaque. Transfer shrimp and any juices to the sambal mixture in the wok; add the tomato wedges, bean sprouts and a drizzle of sweet soy sauce to taste. Stir for 1 minute over medium heat, and season with salt to taste.
• Remove the lemongrass, heap the mee goreng onto a platter and serve immediately, or at room temperature, with lime wedges, sliced red Serrano or Fresno chiles and dried shallots or fried onions.