I grew up in a small little city called Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Being quite Malaynized due to culture and ancestors, I have a soft spot for sambal. I always have had and I said sambal because I really do meant all kinds of sambals. From sambal ikan bilis you get on nasi lemak to sambal oelek and sambal belachan served alongside Hokkien Noodles,I never seem to get bored with them.

This time around, I've make a large batch of Sambal Tumis. Thanks Zu and you all should see Zurin's post. She explained in detail about the difference and what they translate to in Malay. I know tumis is sort of saute-ish but I cannot translate sambal. The next best thing I would say chilli jam. These are so good in fried rice, in simple stir-fried greens and yummy when eaten along with ulam. Yes, you gotta be Malaynized to understand what I'm saying and I've not gone nuts. It's versatile and keep well in the fridge. I wouldn't recommend you cut down the oil because oil is what preserves it in the fridge.

Here is the recipe adapted from Cherry On A Cake, owned by Zurin. Thanks again Zu and terima kasih because Aaron loves this. I totally adore it and if only Aaron would let me, I would have hug this jar to bed and sniff and smell the fragrance of belacan in it throughout my sleep. I'm gonna real good night sleeps!!!

Zurin's Sambal Tumis
A real keeper and makes a large jar

50 gm dried chillies
3 medium large red onions
4 cloves garlic
5 candlenuts/buah keras/walnuts/ macadamia nuts
1/2 tbsp belacan, optional

Roughly snipped the dried chillies with scissors to remove all the seeds and pass it through a colander to remove the seeds thoroughly. Soak it in hot water for 30 minutes and then drain them. Toast the belacan in a dry and clean pan until it is crumbly and releases its fragrance. Place all the above in a blender and add 2 tbsp water of water to it and whiz until a fine paste is obtained. Else, use a food processor and process until fine without water.

1 1/2 tsp tamarind pulp
1/4 cup hot water
1 tbsp sugar
salt to taste
1/4 cup or more of EVOO

Combine the tamarind pulp with hot water and let it soak up the flavour. Moments later, use your hand and rub and squeeze the tamarind pulp to fully flavour the water. Pass them through a strainer and rub and squeeze every last bit of water from the pulp.

Heat up 1/4 cup of cooking oil in a small heavy/thick bottomed pot. Saute the blended ingredients, stirring on and off until the paste turns a shade darker, approximately 10 minutes. or longer if necessary. Use low heat at all the time as the paste burns easily. Add the tamarind juice, sugar and salt and stir and let it cook another 15 - 20 minutes more until the oil rises to the surface and the sambal is really cooked and turns a dark red shade.

Done! This is how I do my canning. Don't cool it but pour the hot paste into a clean and sterilized hot glass jar. Sterilize the metal cover and screw it on immediately. I always use jam jar with the little pressure cap on top. When I 'can' it this way, the pressure button just went down and the whole jar is pressurized. It last for more than a month just in the fridge if not opened before. Once opened, I always finish it off within 2 weeks so can't really tell what will happen if you keep it any longer than that.

Thanks Zu and I reckon everyone should have a jar of this multi purpose chili jam in their fridge!