Sambal Sotong

Literally translated as Squids in Chilli Sauce, we never fail to order this dish whenever we go for seafood back home in Singapore.  As the weather is rather cool and rainy today, I prepared a seafood lunch for my two boys:  Sambal Sotong, Stir-fried French Beans and Cereal Prawns & Squids served with hot Jasmine rice cooked in my new, small rice cooker which I managed to bring in as cabin luggage.

This sambal recipe has been in our family's collection since ages.  To get a sambal with an appetising colour, one has to have patience to cook it.  It took me about an hour to cook it over low/medium heat.  I added a little palm sugar (gula melaka) to add taste and colour to the sambal.  Instead of squids, one can also use other kinds of seafood.

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
500 g fresh or frozen squids, I sliced them into rings
20 g fresh tamarind, to be mixed with 150 ml water
salt to taste
sugar to taste
a little palm sugar (gula melaka), to be crumbled
1/4 cup cooking oil

Blended Ingredients:
50 g dried chillies, to be cut into strips & soaked in warm water until soft
2 large onions, to be peeled & sliced
1 pip garlic, to be peeled & sliced
8 g belacan (shrimp paste)

Method:
Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a wok over medium heat.  Add blended ingredients and stir-fry until fragrant. As and when needed, add cooking oil in order that the mixture is not too dry.  Cooking time will take about one hour in order that the sambal is well-blended with the oil.  Believe me, it is worth the wait!

Add tamarind juice (please use a small sieve in order that only the juice is used) a little at a time. Cook until sambal is thick.  Season with salt, sugar & palm sugar to taste.  Then, add the squids.

Cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes or until the squids are cooked.

This sambal can be served either hot or cold.

Bon Appetit!