Sambal

Sambal (Indonesian and Malay pronunciation:ˈsambal) is a category of chilli-based sauces or pastes originating in maritime Southeast Asia, particularly within the cuisines of Indonesia, Malaysia, Timor-Leste, Brunei, Singapore, southern Thailand and southern Philippines. Owing to historical connections and migration, sambal is also found in South Africa, Suriname and the Netherlands, while in Sri Lanka a local adaptation is known as sambol. In English, it is commonly described as an “Indonesian condiment”^[4][5][6] or “Malaysian condiment.”^[7][2][8]

Traditionally, sambal is prepared by grinding or pounding fresh or dried chillies with aromatics such as shallots, garlic, galangal and ginger, often combined with shrimp paste and seasoned with salt, sugar and acidic ingredients like lime juice or tamarind. Sambal may be served raw or cooked and can function as a condiment, a flavouring base or a standalone side dish.

The history of sambal is closely linked to the development of spice use in the region. Before the arrival of chilli peppers from the Americas in the 16th century, local communities prepared pungent relishes using indigenous and Old World ingredients such as long pepper, ginger, galangal and andaliman. Chilli peppers, introduced through Portuguese and Spanish trade networks, were rapidly adopted for their flavour, adaptability to tropical climates and compatibility with established cooking methods, soon replacing long pepper in most dishes. By the 18th century, chilli-based sambals were recorded across the Indonesian archipelago and the Malay Peninsula, with each community developing variations shaped by local ingredients and culinary traditions.

Today, sambal exists in a wide range of regional forms across Southeast Asia and in other parts of the world. While chilli remains the central ingredient, the addition of items such as fermented durian, torch ginger stems, coconut or sweet soy sauce produces distinctive variations linked to local ingredients and culinary traditions. Across Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, southern Thailand and Sri Lanka, numerous varieties of sambal have developed, reflecting both regional diversity and shared historical influences.