Charred leeks with Sambal Kampung
- kzafarullah
- Aug 31, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 4
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.