How to make sambal chili paste

Soak the dried chillies with hot water for about 10 minutes. Remove the stem (if any).

You need some red chilies for the reddish color. Cut the chilies to smaller pieces.

Bunch of shallots. About 20 here.

Whole bulb of garlic.

You can use fresh ginger but I'm using blended ginger that I've prepared earlier and kept it in freezer. I scoop up about 3 tablespoon.

Shrimp paste also known as Belacan which made from fermented ground shrimp mixed with salt. Some versions are in its wet form and other versions are sun dried cut into fist-sized rectangular blocks.

I prefer the sun dried version as it gives better aroma.

Heat up a non-stick pan and add the shrimp paste and stir fry in low heat.

Keep smashing the paste with a spatula until it loosen up as in the picture.

Throw all the ingredients into your blender and pour a cup of cooking oil. Blend all the ingredients together until creamy texture formed.

You can always add more cooking oil if your blender is not blending. Definitely do not add water as it will change the texture of the chili paste.

Heat up a pan and pre-cook the blended chillies. Cook in medium heat and remember to keep stirring as chilies burn easily. Cook for about 15 minutes until your chilies turn dark red.

Set a side and let it cold down in a bowl before transfer to glass container.

Store in a glass container and keep in the fridge to be use anytime. Enjoy! 😍