This dish is one of my favourite choice when paired with nasi lemak. The sambal so good, prefer it to be on the sweeter side, I added more sugar.
Get readily-soaked brown cuttlefish a.k.a. sotong rendam from the market. Clean it by removing the thin slimy skin on the surface. Remove the inner back bones, something that looks like a transparent plastic.
Oil is necessary in order to cook the paste till oil separates. If not enough oil, you won't be able to cook a nice sambal. Anyway, after cooking, if you find the oil on the surface is too much, you can always scoop it away.
Sugar is added in the very beginning stage to cook till it caramelized and give a sweet caramel nutty taste to the sambal. This will also give a nice dark reddish color to the sambal.
Ingredients :
1 pc Brown Sotong Rendam - cut into strips
12pcs Dried Red Chillies - soaked & seed removed
3cm Belacan (Roasted Shrimp Paste)
1pc Red Onion (big) - clean & cut into wedges
4 tsp Brown Sugar or to taste
1/2 tsp Salt or to taste
4 tbsp Cooking Oil
Some Water
Step by Step:
1. Blend red onion & dried chillies (add in 2 tbsp water) till fine paste.
2. Heat up wok with oil (use low heat to prevent overburn / oil splatters). Don't let the wok get too hot before pouring in the paste, otherwise the oil will splatter all over the kitchen. Saute blended paste & brown sugar until fragrant & oil separates.
3. Add in belacan and sotong and stir to combine.
4. Season with salt. Add in about 3-4 tbsp water for some gravy sauce. Continue to cook on low heat for about 7-8 minutes till cuttlefish well cooked and you can see oil slowly separates.
5. Dish up & serve.
Happy Cooking..