Balinese Recipe: Sambal Matah and Tumis Paku

Indonesian food is very popular in the world. For example, there are rendang and fried rice. In Bali itself, there are suckling pig dishes and also chicken/duck betutu style.

Today, let's try to make 2 traditional dishes. You can cook this for lunch or dinner to your family 😊

Balinese food is unique from the spices used and unique cooking techniques. Each house has its own unique recipe, there is even the term “dakin lima” which literally translates as “hand dirt” but actually this refers to a person's skill in preparing food and each person has a unique technique that only that person has. Because of that, the taste of the food he prepared would be completely different from other chefs.

Balinese family:

Behind The Names: Putu, Kadek, Komang, Ketut

Sambal Matah: Sambal with Raw Ingredients

Sambal matah is a chili sauce served in Balinese food, especially seafood dishes. Its spicy, savory and slightly sour taste gives the dish a fresh taste.

Today, I made sambal matah with ikan aju 

Sambal Matah Ingredients:

50 grams of shallots

10 grams of red cayenne pepper

10 grams of green cayenne pepper

3 stalks of lemongrass

6 pieces of lime leaves

2 limes

5 grams of salt

3 grams of sugar

1 tbsp shrimp paste

Coconut oil.

Direction:

Thinly slice red onion, chili and lemongrass, set aside. Remove the center stem of the lime leaf and then thinly slice the lime leaves. Mix the sliced onions, sliced chilies, sliced lemongrass, and sliced lime leaves in a bowl. Grill the shrimp paste briefly. Mix the shrimp paste into the first ingredient mixture. Heat the coconut oil until it boils then brew the mixture with coconut oil. Stir for a while, pour in the lime juice.

Sambal Matah is ready to be served.

Tumis Paku

Indonesians have a saying that Indonesians are strong because they eat nails. What is actually meant is not real house nails but vegetable ferns which have the scientific name Diplazium esculentum.

This vegetable fern has an interesting texture, the leaves are soft while the stems are fibrous. The game texture blends with the spices to make it taste even more delicious.

Tumis Paku Ingredients:

2 bunches of fern

2 cloves of garlic

4 shallots

3 hot peppers (optional).

2 tbsp thick coconut milk

1 pinch uyah sere (shrimp paste; mixed the paste with salt)

1 pinch of sugar.

1 pinch of turmeric powder.

Direction:

Clean the fern and cut into about 4 cm pieces. Slice the shallots, garlic and chilies. Heat some oil. Sauté the onions and chilies for a while, add the lemongrass and nail vegetables. Stir a, add water, then add coconut milk and other spices. You can adjust the taste before serving.

These recipes are quite simple. Try this to make your meals taste like Balinese!