Golden-brown fried potatoes get a spicy, fresh coating of green sambal with lime and belacan. Serve them with rice and crisp cucumber for a hearty meal where the potatoes stay centre stage.
Sambal hijau literally means green sambal, but its ingredients aren’t set in stone in every kitchen. Green chilies and shallots form the base here; a little belacan adds depth, while lime keeps the flavour lively. Belacan is fermented shrimp paste with a strong aroma and salty umami. Toasting a small amount briefly first mellows it and makes it easier to mix into the sambal. Use a mortar and pestle for a coarse texture with visible pieces, or a small food processor for a more even paste.
The choice of chili determines how much heat the dish brings to the table. Long green chilies add plenty of flavour and are generally less hot than rawit or bird’s-eye chilies. For a spicier sambal, add some of those; for a milder version, remove the seeds and ribs from the chilies. Belacan is characteristic, but if you can’t find it, you can leave it out and season the sambal with a small splash of fish sauce. This adds salt and umami, but isn’t an exact substitute.
Waxy potatoes work well because they hold their shape after cooking. Boil them until just tender, then let them steam-dry thoroughly: wet potatoes fry less evenly and can start steaming in the pan instead of browning. Then fry them in a generous layer of oil until golden brown, leaving enough room to turn the pieces. Stir the sambal through only at the end. This flavours the soft centre without leaving the fried outsides sitting in a wet sauce for long.
Serve the potatoes with white rice and cool cucumber. The plain rice tempers the chili and soaks up any leftover sambal; cucumber offers a fresh, juicy contrast. You can serve green beans on the side, but keep the portion modest so the potatoes remain the focus. Cover leftovers and refrigerate within two hours, then eat within three days. Reheat them gently in a frying pan; the potatoes will warm through, although the edges won’t be as crisp as they are straight after frying.
Rinse the rice until the water is mostly clear. Put the rice and 450 ml water in a pan. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the rice covered for another 10 minutes.
Put the potatoes in a pan of cold water with 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 8–12 minutes, until a knife just goes through them. Drain and leave the potatoes to steam-dry for 5 minutes.
Toast the belacan in a dry frying pan over low heat for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Remove from the pan. Grind the chilies, shallots and belacan in a mortar and pestle to make a coarse paste, or pulse briefly in a small food processor.
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry the potatoes in a single layer, in two batches if needed, for 10–15 minutes. Turn them regularly until golden brown all over. Transfer them from the pan to a plate.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the same pan. Fry the sambal paste over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring regularly, until the shallot is soft and the paste is fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lime juice and ½ teaspoon salt.
Toss the potatoes with the sambal until coated all over. Taste and add a little more salt or lime juice if needed. Serve with the rice, cucumber and lime wedges.
Main courseSweet corn, a splash of cream and a squeeze of lime make a hearty soup with both tender and whole kernels. Crispy tortilla strips, cilantro and chili oil bring freshness, heat and crunch to every bowl.
Main courseA hearty bowl of tender pearl barley, sweet cumin-roasted carrots and golden-brown chickpeas. The fresh sauce of herbs, lemon and tahini brings it all together, while toasted sesame adds a little crunch.
Main courseGolden brown and crisp at the edges, soft inside: these courgette and corn fritters get a fresh lift from lime yogurt and a little heat from chili oil. Serve them as a main course with a crunchy salad.