Serves: 4
Total Calories: 272

6 stalks lemongrass, , fresh, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 to 3 shallots, large, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 to 3 serrano chile, or Thai, coarsely chopped (for a milder sambal, seed the chiles)
1 tomato, fresh, ripe plum, cut into 1/2-inch dice (with juices)
1 tablespoon ginger, chopped fresh
1 tablespoon turmeric, chopped fresh or an additional 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger mixed with 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon sugar, palm or firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons Tamarind Water (see recipe under "Ground Meat, Burgers and Sausages") or fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce, sweet (katjap manis) or 1 1/2 teaspoons each regular soy sauce and molasses
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or more to taste
1/2 cup peanut oil

1. Place the lemongrass, shallots, garlic, chile, tomato with its juices, the ginger, turmeric, and palm sugar in a food processor. Process to a coarse paste. Add the Tamarind Water, sweet soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Process to blend.

2. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Add the lemongrass mixture. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature before serving. This delicious sambal will keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week.

Makes about 1 1/4 cups enough to serve 4 to 6

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 272
Calories from Fat: 240

More Recipes from the The Barbecue Bible Cookbook:
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Carrot And Pineapple Escabeche
Central Asian Pickles / Torshi
Dog's Nose Salsa / Nni Pec
Fiery Chile And Shallot Relish / Sambal Chobek
Georgian Pickles
Grilled Habanero Salsa
Grilled Pineapple Salsa
Guyanese Mango Fire Relish
Haitian Slaw / Pikliz
Lemongrass Sambal
Mango Achar
Mango-Mint Salsa
Mixed Vegetable Achar
Moroccan Shallot Relish
Moroccan Tomato Jam1
Oaxacan-Style Guacamole
Onion Relish With Pomegranate Molasses
Onion-Cilantro Relish
Penang Shallot Relish / Chung Gao Jai
Pickled Onions / Cebollita
Pickled Vegetables / Encurtido
Pineapple Achar
Pineapple Chutney
Pineapple Raita
Shogun Slaw
Smoky Apple-Banana Salsa
Tomato Peanut Sambal / Sambal Achan
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Your Basic Slaw