Charred leeks with Sambal Kampung

This recipe intrigued me, so I had to try it!

First, I wanted to try the raw sambal. Usually, sambals are cooked, but this one is raw. The sambal marinated over the day, and the flavors came together, yielding a wonderfully fruity and delicate sambal.

I was also curious about grilled leeks. I have used sauteed leeks frequently in soups, stews and pastas but never grilled them. For good measure, I also threw in some fennel that I know is delicious when grilled. The leeks are delicious, a touch sweet and lightly flavoured with mild onions. However, I learned that you need very tender leeks, baby leeks, as they tend to be a touch stringy.

These grilled vegetables with the sambal are delicious; they are perfect as an accompaniment to grilled meats and the Malaysian-style chicken satay with peanut sauce.

This cookbooks is working out well for me, I plan to go back to often.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

4 baby leeks, wahed well and halved

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Salt to taste

For the Sambal Kampung:

6-10 dried red chiles, Kashmiri preferred. Adjust to taste. Kashmiri chiles are available at any Indian grocery store or online.

2/3 cup dried shrimp (ignore the vegetarian version)

8 shallots, cleaned and diced

4 fresh red chiles, de-seeded.Adjust to taste

1/2 tablespoon lemongrass paste

1/2 inch galangal, chopped

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 tablespoon shrimp paste (Belacan). (Ignore the vegetarian version)

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons oil

1 medium ripe tomato, diced

1/2 onion, diced

2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Add all ingredients to a small blender and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust for sweetness, spice, salt, and sourness. Remove and allow the sauce to come together at room temperature for at least 4 hours or longer. Over time, the sauce tends to mellow, and the flavours come together to form a smooth, fruity sambal.

Spray the leeks (and other vegetables, if using) with oil. Grill till charred all over, and the leeks are blistered in spots.

Serve with the sambal as a side to grilled meat.