Sambal Matah

Name: Sambal Matah
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 6 shallots, very thinly sliced; 3 red chillies, finely chopped; 2 lemongrass stalks, tender white part only, very finely sliced; 4 kaffir lime leaves, shredded finely; 3 limes, juiced; 4 tbsp sunflower oil; 1 tsp sugar

A fresh, raw Balinese relish of shallot, lemongrass, chilli and lime that lifts any grilled meat or fish.

Time15 min
LevelEasy
Costabout £0.56 a head

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

6 servings

Ingredients

Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.

6shallotsvery thinly sliced
3red chilliesfinely chopped
2lemongrass stalkstender white part only, very finely sliced
4kaffir lime leavesshredded finely
3limesjuiced
4 tbspsunflower oil
1 tspsugar

Method

1
Put the shallots, chillies, lemongrass and lime leaves in a bowl.
2
Heat the oil in a small pan until hot but not smoking, about 1 minute.
1 min
3
Pour the hot oil over the shallot mix. It should sizzle and smell wonderful.
4
Stir in the lime juice, sugar and a pinch of salt. Leave for 10 minutes before serving.
10 min
5
Spoon over grilled chicken, fish or rice.

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.