Balinese Sambal Matah
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Let’s talk about sambal matah—Bali’s not-so-secret weapon in the world of flavor. This isn’t your thick, cooked sambal.
Oh no.
This one’s raw, wild, and alive. Think finely sliced shallots, bird’s eye chilies, lemongrass, and lime—all tossed in hot coconut oil till it sizzles with attitude. It’s spicy, citrusy, and just the right amount of savage.
I grew up thinking sambal had to be red and cooked, but the first time I had sambal matah? Game over. It lit up my tongue, my brain, and my whole idea of what sambal could be.
In this piece, I’ll walk you through what makes sambal matah so special, how to make it right, and all the delicious ways you can use it—spoiler: it goes with everything.
Some recipe you might want to try:
Balinese Sambal Matah
Sambal Matah is the kind of condiment that doesn’t whisper—it screams (lovingly). It’s Bali in a bowl: raw, fiery, and unapologetically bold. No frying, no blending—just a quick chop of shallots, chilies, lemongrass, and a squeeze of lime that slaps your taste buds awake.
Then, you pour a bit of hot coconut oil over it, and boom—magic happens. Everything sizzles, mellows just enough, and turns into this fresh, zingy, spicy explosion that goes with literally everything.
I’ve spooned it over grilled chicken, tucked it into tempeh wraps, even stirred it into instant noodles when I needed a pick-me-up. It's that versatile, and honestly, once you make it, you'll wonder how your meals ever tasted complete without it. It’s not just sambal—it’s a whole mood.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Finely slice the onion, garlic, chili, and lemongrass (just the tender white part). Tear the lime leaves to release their aroma, then finely slice them too.
- Place all sliced ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Add shrimp paste powder, salt, mushroom bouillon, sugar, and lime juice to the bowl. Stir gently to combine.
- Heat the coconut oil until it’s just sizzling (not smoking). Carefully pour the hot oil over the sambal mixture—this will release the flavors and mellow the raw bite. Mix well.
- Let it sit for a few minutes so everything gets friendly in the bowl.
- Serve fresh with grilled fish, rice, chicken, or just eat it straight with warm white rice.
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 215kcal
- Calories from Fat 121kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 14.01g22%
- Saturated Fat 11.85g60%
- Trans Fat 0.02g
- Sodium 2358mg99%
- Potassium 363mg11%
- Total Carbohydrate 23.04g8%
- Dietary Fiber 2.6g11%
- Sugars 13.39g
- Protein 2.86g6%
- Vitamin A 706 IU
- Vitamin C 41.6 mg
- Calcium 67 mg
- Iron 1.25 mg
- Vitamin D 6 IU
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
