Sambals are Indonesian sauces.
The ingredients vary wildly depending on what kind of Sambal is being made, but chile is common in many of them, and thus they tend to have a hot flavour. Not all, though,are incredibly hot. Mild ones include Sambal Oelek and Sambal Manis.
A Sambal can be as simple as a hot pepper sauce in a jar. It can be a fresh sauce (e.g. uncooked), cooked, or something that we’d consider almost a salad.
They can be sprinkled on rice dishes, used as a side dip for satay, or used as condiments or relishes.
Sambals are used in almost every Indonesian kitchen. Many you can buy in bottles.
Purists insist that the sauce ones should be made in a mortar and pestle (or “cobek and ulek-ulek”, in Indonesian), but using a blender or food processor is just fine.
Language Notes
Cooked ones are grouped as “Sambal Goreng” (“goreng” meaning “fried.”)
