(saam·baal ow·lek)
Sambal Oelek Starter brings the fiery spice of Indonesian and Malaysian cuisine to your home kitchen. Hot red chiles are balanced with red bell peppers, vinegar, and coconut palm sugar to create this delicious all-purpose hot sauce condiment.

Sambal sauce can be found in a variety of different textures ranging from a course relish to a smooth puree and is traditionally made by mashing ingredients together in a mortar and pestle. The name “sambal oelek” derives from this traditional preparation. Rumor has it that sambal was originally developed as a way to preserve chiles while the abundance was high in order to save for the months of low supply. Although there are hundreds of varieties of sambal, all are generally used as a condiment for rice, noodle, egg, and vegetable dishes.

Curious Spoon’s Sambal Oelek Starter brings chile spice and heat to any dish, including fried rice, noodles, and soups. Simply blend this sauce starter with simmering water and then cool to room temperature. Once cooled, the delicious condiment result can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Red bell pepper, Natural flavor, Tomato, Dried chiles, Salt, Contains 2% or less of Coconut sap sugar, Gum acacia, Xanthan gum.

Combine 1/2 cup water with contents of packet and bring to a simmer.