Sambal Serai
Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from James Oseland's book Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. It originally accompanied Javanese Chicken Curry and Beef Satay and was part of an article by Oseland on Indonesian cuisine.
This gorgeous-tasting, easy-to-make raw sambal originated in Bali. Try to find the freshest, most flavorful lemongrass you can when making it—your best bet may be in deep summer at a farmers' market that serves a substantial Asian community, where you're likely to find impeccably fresh, organic lemongrass.
Holland chiles (also called Dutch or finger chiles) are the primary hot pepper used in Indonesian cooking. They are ruby red in color and glossy skinned, with narrow, fingerlike bodies that end in sharp points. They're about four inches long (sometimes longer, but rarely shorter) and a half inch in diameter at their thickest point. They have juicy, sweet-tasting flesh and tight, waxy skin that keeps them from spoiling quickly. Holland chiles vary from mildly hot to scorching, but they lose much of their pungency when cooked. They're available year-round in North America, generally imported from the Netherlands. If you can't find them, you may substitute any fresh red chiles such as Fresno, cherry bells, cayennes, Anaheims, huachinangos, jalapeños, or serranos.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes about 1/3 cup
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
1. Cut off the hard, brown bottom end and the bristly, greenish top of the lemongrass stalk, which will leave you with a pale, white-and-lilac piece approximately 5 inches long. Discard the tough outer layers. Slice the lemongrass very thinly, then chop the slices as finely as you can — using a very sharp knife will help you enormously. Chopping lemongrass this thoroughly may take a few extra minutes, but it should be the consistency of sand by the time you've finished prepping it. Transfer the lemongrass to a bowl. Make sure that the chiles and shallots are chopped just as finely. Add the chiles, shallots, oil, lime juice, and salt to the bowl. Stir well to combine. Taste again, and add a pinch more salt if needed.
Step 2
2. Transfer to a small serving bowl for guests to spoon from directly and let rest for 10 minutes before eating to allow the flavors to meld.
