How to Make Sambal Hijau (Green Chili Sambal)

Welcome to another great sambal recipe! Sambal hijau or green chili sambal is a great tasting and visually attractive sambal that is very easy to make.

To make sambal hijau, simply chop and grind some green chillies, garlic and onion and fry the paste. Add the spices after a minute and fry for another 5-10 minutes. That’s it!

What is Sambal hijau?

Sambal hijau is a spicy, green chili-based sauce that is widely used across Indonesian cuisine. The name “sambal” literally means “sauce,” and there are dozens of different types of sambal that vary in flavor and heat level. Sambal hijau is one of the more mild varieties, but it still packs a decent amount of spicy flavors.

Let’s get started on how to make sambal hijau!

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What to consider when choosing the ingredients

You can adjust the spice level of your sambal hijau by adding or subtracting the number of chili peppers you use. Consider removing the seeds from the chillies like I’ve done many times before, this will reduce the heat.

The spices used here are simply authentic spices widely used in Indonesian cuisine, add or remove any spices you want to try and give it a go!

Step 2: Chop and grind the ingredients

Chop the garlic, onion, and chili peppers roughly and blend them together in a food processor until you have a smooth paste.

Remove the seeds from the chili peppers if you want, I did not do it this time as green chillies tend to be less spicy.

I highly recommend getting a food processor if you’re serious about cooking. It’s an essential tool in my kitchen and I use it frequently. Click here to buy the one I have!

Step 3: Fry the sambal hijau

Heat up a frying pan and fry the sambal paste for about a minute. Then, add the terasi, palm sugar, and salt. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

You want the sambal hijau to have a paste-like consistency, frying it reduces the moist presence and will thicken the paste. You can check the consistency by forming the paste into a cube and see how runny it is.

Step 4: Serve and conserve sambal hijau

Your sambal is now ready to enjoy! Serve it as a condiment alongside your favorite dishes. You can also store your sambal in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Working clean is essential here, using clean utensils and containers to store and remove the sambal will make the conservation time longer. For extender periods of conservation, consider freezing the sambal in portion sizes!

Serve this sambal with various recipes for an extra kick of spice:

• Bakso goreng
• Gulai kambing
• Nasi kuning
• Terong balado

If you like this sambal and are looking for more recipes, definitely check out the following ones:

• Sambal brandal
• Sambal assem
• Ketumbar sambal

That’s it! I hope you like this recipes and if you do, please leave a rating!

FAQ:

Is sambal bad for you?

Sambal itself is not bad for you, but it does contain capsaicin, a compound that can cause a burning sensation in some people. If you have a sensitive stomach or digestive issues, you may want to avoid consuming too much sambal.

A small note to make; usually store-bought sambals contain a high amount of salt, making it quite unhealthy!

What does sambal taste like?

Sambal hijau has a tangy, slightly sweet flavor with a bold chili kick.

Is sambal sweet?

Sambal hijau does have a touch of sweetness from the palm sugar, but it’s not considered a sweet condiment overall.