Balacan Chilli

My version is very very hot, but:
400g large chillies
200g chilli padi
70g CKC belacan
About 1 tablespoon sugar
Salt to taste

Deseed the chillies... but make sure to wear double the plastic kitchen glove (ie. 2 disposable gloves on each hand), because deseeding the chillies can be very painful to the skin.
Toast the belacan in the toaster oven, or dry-heat the belacan on a frying pan with NO oil.
Blend everything in the ingredient list in a blender and set it aside for about 10 minutes to infuse. Then bottle it in glass bottles.
Freeze portions that you're not using, leave only the bottle you're using in the fridge.

To use, scoop about 2 heaping teaspoon and drizzle lime (sng kam) over the sambal.

My belacan is very very spicy, so I think if you're making it just for a little zing, use less chilli padis and increase the large chillis. Perhaps you might want to reduce the amount you make too. I make this quantity because deseeding is not something I enjoy having to do, so I'd rather make one huge batch, over many small batches.


by Brenda

Balacan Chilli

6 - 8 red chillies
3 red bird's eye chillies
2 green chillies
1 tbsp belacan
calamansi juice to taste

- Wash, seed and coat the chillies with some oil and then either fry or toast them till heated through and smelling. This step helps reduce their water content thereby giving you a more robust flavour and increases the keeping quality. Wrap belacan in foil and toast in a pan or wherever till it crumbles. Pound or blend all together, flavouring with some added salt and sugar if you wish. Squeeze some calamansi juice preferably only before eating.

Optional additions: A small seeded tomato( toasted/heated ), 2 shallots( toasted/heated ), gula melaka to taste, thick tamarind juice( around 1 - 2 tsp ).

by Curryman