Sambal olek
Sambal olek, also called sambal ulek or sambal, is a bright red, sweet and sharp tasting flavorful chili, often sold as a paste. Some types of this variant call for the addition of salt or lime into the red mixture.
Sambal is popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the southern Philippines and Sri Lanka, as well as in the Netherlands and in Suriname through Javanese influence. It is typically made from a variety of chili peppers and is sometimes a substitute for fresh chilis. Ready-made sambal olek is available at exotic food markets or international food departments in most supermarkets.
Chilies in sambal olek are very high in vitamin C and may be able to lower the "bad" cholesterol in the blood stream, increase the production of endorphins, and also aid in digestion.
Oelek is a Dutch spelling which in modern Indonesian spelling has become simply ulek; both have the same pronunciation. Ulek is Indonesian special stoneware derived from common village basalt stone kitchenware still ubiquitous in kitchens, particularly in Java.
Sambal olek is a great addition to dips, stews, curries. You can saute the paste in a bit of oil and then add your ingredients or just mix the paste into a dip or vinaigrette. It gives your dish that delicious sweet and spicy chili kick.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Image by Dkg available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 Generic license
Sambal olek, also called sambal ulek or sambal, is a bright red, sweet and sharp tasting flavorful chili, often sold as a paste. Some types of this variant call for the addition of salt or lime into the red mixture.
Sambal is popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the southern Philippines and Sri Lanka, as well as in the Netherlands and in Suriname through Javanese influence. It is typically made from a variety of chili peppers and is sometimes a substitute for fresh chilis. Ready-made sambal olek is available at exotic food markets or international food departments in most supermar..
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