Singapore Squid In Red Chilli Sauce (Sambal Sotong)
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Ingredients
| 2 lbs. | squid | | 1 tbsp. | white vinegar | | 3 cups | water (divided) | | 5 | kemiri, chopped | | 6 | lg. red chilies, seeded and chopped | | 6 | shallots, peeled and chopped | | 1 slice | terasi (optional) | | 2 tsp. | ginger powder | | Cumin powder a pinch | | Turmeric powder a pinch | | Sereh powder a dash (powdered lemon grass) | | 2 tbsp. | vegetable oil | | 3 tbsp. | tamarind water | | 1 tsp. | brown sugar |
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Instructions
Clean the squid, discarding the ink sac and head. Chop the tentacles into 1/2 inch lengths, then cut the squid into small squares.
Mix the 1 tablespoon vinegar with 2 1/2 cups of water, and use this mixture to rinse the squid. Drain immediately
Put the kemiri, chilies, shallots and terasi in a cobek or mortar and pound to a very smooth paste. Add the spices and mix well.
Heat the oil in a pan, add the spice paste and fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the squid and tamarind water and fry for a further 3 minutes. Stir in the sugar, salt and the 1/2 cup remaining water and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve hot. Serves 4 to 6.
NOTE: Kemiri..Also known and buah keras and candlenuts. These are pale yellow nuts, roughly the same size as chestnuts. They are usually shelled before being exported and the kernels break into fragments. If ‘2 kemiri’ are specified in a recipe, this means the equivalent of 2 whole nuts.
Terasi..Also known as balachan/blacan (Malaysian) Kapi (Thailand) and ngapi (Burma). A kind of pungent shrimp paste, used in very small quantities.
Sereh…Powdered Lemon grass
Tamarind..Also known as asam or assem. An acid flavoured fruit resembling a bean pod. Sold as dried tamarind pulp in blocks and is dark brown in colour. The dried tamarind pulp must be made into tamarind water before using:-Soak about 1 ounce tamarind pulp in 1 1/4 cups water for 5 to 10 minutes, then squeeze, strain and use the water. The longer left to soak, the stronger the flavour.
Lime, lemon or mango juice or vinegar may be used as substitutes but the flavour of the finished dish but will not be the same. Tamarind paste should be refrigerated once opened, in which case it will keep indefinitely. Both tamarind pulp and tamarind paste are available at Asian stores.
Asian Cooking
Author's Comments
Despite its name, this is a main dish, not a relish. The chilies give a good red colour, but if you find they make it too hot use paprika or sweet red peppers instead.
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