Sambal Bajak
250 g/8 oz fresh red chillies
125 g/4 oz peeled shallots
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped galangal, fresh or brined
3 tablespoons candle nuts or macadamia nuts
125 ml/4 fl oz/1/2 cup peanut oil
30 g/1 oz dried shrimp paste
1 teaspoon salt
125 ml/4 fl oz/1/2 cup tamarind liquid
2 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
Directions
Prepare chillies as described for Sambal Ulek and put into a blender container with shallots, garlic, galangal and candle nuts. Blend to a purée. Heat oil in a wok or heavy saucepan and fry the blended mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add shrimp paste, salt, tamarind and sugar. Stir and cook until reddish brown and the oil shimmers on the surface. Cool, then store in a clean, dry bottle in the refrigerator.
Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)