--- title: "Sambal oelek: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates" description: "Sambal oelek is a simple Indonesian chili paste of crushed red chilies, salt and vinegar. Clean, hot and bright, it seasons stir-fries and sauces." url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/sambal-oelek" --- # Sambal oelek Sambal oelek is a simple Indonesian chili paste of crushed red chilies, salt and vinegar. Clean, hot and bright, it seasons stir-fries and sauces. Also called Sambal ulek. Sambal oelek is a chili paste from Indonesia and Malaysia. It is made from fresh red chilies crushed with salt and usually a little vinegar, with no garlic, sugar or other spices. _Sambal_ is the general word for chili-based sauces, and _oelek_ (or _ulek_) refers to the stone pestle used to grind it. It tastes hot, fresh and sharp, and lets the chili flavor stand out. ## How to use it * Stir a teaspoon into [stir-fries](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/stir-fry), fried rice, noodle dishes and soups. * Mix it into marinades for chicken, pork or shrimp (prawns in the UK). * Stir a little into mayonnaise, ketchup or yogurt for a quick hot dip. * Use it as the base for other sambals: fry it with shallots, garlic, shrimp paste and sugar. * Serve a small bowl on the side so people can add heat to taste. It is hot. Start with ½ teaspoon per serving and add more once you have tasted it. ## Substitutes * Make your own: pound or blend 100 g (about 3½ oz) fresh red chilies with ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon rice or white vinegar until coarse. It keeps in the fridge for about a week. * Chopped fresh red chili with a pinch of salt and a splash of vinegar. * Sriracha-style chili sauce. It is sweeter and has garlic, so use a little less. * Other chili pastes such as [harissa](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/harissa) or [gochujang](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/gochujang). They work for heat but bring their own very different flavors. ## How to store it Keep the jar in the fridge after opening and use a clean spoon each time. It keeps for months. The color darkens over time, which is fine. ## In recipes Indonesian and Malaysian recipes use many sambals, and a recipe that just says "sambal" may mean a cooked one with garlic, shrimp paste and sugar. When it says sambal oelek, it means this plain, raw paste. Some recipes pair it with [fish sauce](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fish-sauce), lime and sugar for a quick dipping sauce. A [mortar and pestle](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/mortar-and-pestle) gives the classic coarse texture if you make it yourself. ## Recipes that use it 12 recipes from the sites we collect. * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Chicken-Summer-Rolls-9.jpg)Chicken Summer Rollswww.skinnytaste.com · 40 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/chicken-summer-rolls/) * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2018/07/tuna-poke.jpg)Tuna Poke Bowlswww.onceuponachef.com · 20 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/tuna-poke-bowls.html) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Sambal-Spicy-Noodles-with-Turkey-8.jpg)Spicy Hearts of Palm Noodles with Chickenwww.skinnytaste.com · 20 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/spicy-hearts-of-palm-noodle-stir-fry-with-chicken/) * [![](http://pinchofyum.com/tachyon/Chicken-Lettuce-Wraps-Recipe.jpg?fit=225%2C225)Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Ginger Garlic Saucepinchofyum.com · 25 min](https://pinchofyum.com/peanut-chicken-lettuce-wraps-ginger-garlic-sauce) * [![](https://pinchofyum.com/tachyon/Beef-and-Broccoli-in-a-bowl-square.jpg?fit=225%2C225)Sesame Beef and Broccolipinchofyum.com · 30 min](https://pinchofyum.com/sesame-beef-and-broccoli) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/poke-1-3.jpg)Shoyu Ahi Pokewww.skinnytaste.com · 5 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/shoyu-aji-poke/) * [![](https://pinchofyum.com/tachyon/Cauliflower-Lettuce-Wraps-with-Garlic-Sauce-Square.jpg?fit=225%2C225)Roasted Cauliflower Lettuce Wraps with Korean BBQ-Inspired Saucepinchofyum.com · 50 min](https://pinchofyum.com/korean-bbq-style-cauliflower-lettuce-wraps) * [![](https://pinchofyum.com/tachyon/Coconut-Curry-Ramen-Square.jpg?fit=225%2C225)Coconut Curry Ramenpinchofyum.com · 60 min](https://pinchofyum.com/coconut-curry-ramen) * [![](https://pinchofyum.com/tachyon/Sticky-Ginger-Rice-Bowls-Square.png?fit=225%2C225)Sticky Ginger Rice Bowls with Pickled Veg and Mangopinchofyum.com · 35 min](https://pinchofyum.com/sticky-ginger-rice-bowls) * [![](https://pinchofyum.com/tachyon/singapore-noodles-square.jpg?fit=225%2C225)Stir Fried Singapore Noodles with Garlic Ginger Saucepinchofyum.com · 50 min](https://pinchofyum.com/stir-fried-singapore-noodles-with-garlic-ginger-sauce) * [![](https://pinchofyum.com/tachyon/Korean-BBQ-Beef-Stir-Fry-Recipe.jpg?fit=225%2C225)Korean BBQ Steak Bowls with Spicy Sesame Dressingpinchofyum.com · 30 min](https://pinchofyum.com/korean-bbq-steak-bowls-with-spicy-sesame-dressing) * [![](https://pinchofyum.com/tachyon/baked-sticky-garlic-chicken-square.jpg?fit=225%2C225)Sticky Garlic Chicken and Broccolipinchofyum.com · 40 min](https://pinchofyum.com/sticky-garlic-chicken-broccoli) ## Related terms * [GochujangGochujang is a thick Korean paste of chili, rice and fermented soybeans. It is sweet, spicy and savory, and it seasons stews, marinades and sauces.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/gochujang) * [HarissaHarissa is a hot North African chili paste with garlic, caraway and cumin. Stir it into yogurt, couscous, stews and roast vegetables for heat.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/harissa) * [Stir-fryStir-frying cooks small, evenly cut pieces of food in a very hot wok with a little oil, stirring constantly so they sear and cook through in minutes.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/stir-fry) * [Mortar and pestleA mortar and pestle is a heavy bowl and club for crushing spices, garlic and herbs into pastes and sauces. Here is how to use one and which type to choose.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/mortar-and-pestle) * [Fish sauceFish sauce is a salty, savory liquid made from fermented anchovies. It seasons Thai and Vietnamese food and adds depth to dressings and stews.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fish-sauce) [More in pantry ingredients](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/pantry-ingredients)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)