Sambal with ikan teri asin // Indonesian Spicy chili condiment with little salted anchovies

Chili or Sambal is a firm favorite in Indonesia. My little family doesn't usually eat spicy food but if you are cooking certain Indonesian food, an accompaniment of Sambal is prerogative. My fellow Chevening Scholars were coming to visit me few weeks ago and I made Sop Buntut Bakar - Indonesian Broiled Oxtail Soup. I know they must want sambal to go with it. So although I am not an expert in Sambal making, I did my best. and it turned out great... we all love it... Though they said it is not so spicy... my husband said, it's spicy enough. hehehehe... I forgot to take the proper picture, lucky that my husband manage to snap one on the table before we finished them all

I adapted the the recipe of Sambal Lado Mudo from Mbak Peppy IndonesiaEats Blog. I cannot call my sambal the name because it lacked 2 of its defining ingredients. The green Chilies and green tomatoes. So here's the recipe


Ingredients - after modification:
5 Bird eye chili (mine is a mix of green, orange and red)
2 shallots (for smaller shallot like in Indonesia, use 16 shallots)
5 cherry tomatoes
A handful of Teri kecil or Little Salted Anchovies - (you can get it from the dried food in Asian store. pick the smallest you can get)
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
salt and sugar to season

Direction:

It's easier to do in a food processor or blender but I have none... so Pestle and Mortar it is. 

1. Fry the salted anchovies for about 2-3 mins. Strain on a paper towel to absorb all excess oil.
2. Grind Shallots and Chilies in pestle.Add Salt and sugar to help the grinding. 
3. Grind the cherry tomatoes to grind together. Add the oil and mix together. 
4. Turn on the heat on the hob and place a small frying pan. 
5. Put in the sambal mixture even before the frying pan is hot.
6. Add the lime juice. At this point you can taste and see whether you need more salt or sugar, Be careful the anchovies are salted already. 
7. Once it start bubbling, add the fry anchovies. Mix well and let it heated. 
8. Done and serve

• Don't worry if you cannot grind everything well. I like mine chunky and if anyone commented I will just say, I am going for the rustic touch... hehehehe
• My mom says, putting the sambal mixture before the pan and oil get heated up reduce the chance for you to get spitted by the hot oil and that the spicy aroma won't torture your nose during cooking and your cushions and curtains days after.