Nasi Lemak with Apricot Sambal Ikan Bilis

The weather is much cooler nowadays especially in the mornings, I don't have to go out for my walks at 6.00 am , could do it at 7.30 am and still feel comfortable.  Then you know that summer is over and autumn is upon us soon.  This summer has been a busy and fruitful -'fruit full' it was, my neighbor's apricot tree was groaning with lush and the lush was on my side of the fence.  As i scamper back to my kitchen with my apricot loot, i was a-brimmed with plans.  There will be apricot jam, There will be pastries - made so many pastries and still have many more apricots sitting on the counter-top.  What i would like to share with you all, was so delicious and it amazed me too that it turned out so well.  I added the pitted apricots to the sambal and  The Sambal Ikan Bilis made with this apricot sambal was the most delicious tasting sambal ever, it tasted fruity.  

Sambal Belacan

What type of sambal do you like best? But before you can answer, you would have to know what Sambal is.  Sambal is a chili based sauce which is popular in South East Asia and normally used as a condiment.  

 What do you think is the key ingredient for this fiery-kick tasty sambal?  There will be no sambal belacan without belacan aka shrimp paste  and it will not work with no fresh red chillies, they are both partners in crime. 

A Malay style sambal is what i am about to share with you.   Fresh red chilies are pounded together with toasted belacan(shrimp paste) in a stone mortar to which sugar and lime juice are added. Originally, limau kesturi or calamansi lime is used but since this is scarce outside of Southeast Asia,  green lime is used as a substitute.  My greatest find in the asian stores here in Denver is this calamansi juice in their freezer and now my homemade Sambal Belacan is no more adulterated with lime juice.  To make it more authentic, my wish fairy, Peng, bought me a stone mortar enabling me to pound away in rhythm and perfume the house with so much comfort(my comfort) but it can unpleasant and stinky to those who are not familiar.  Another good find is that roasted belacan is available and if i have a choice, i would prefer this to raw belacan. 

Thank you Peng for striking off this stone mortar from my wish list.  Before, the appearance of the stone mortar, i have been using the chopper or food processor and they made good acceptable sambal belacan but for textured sambal belacan, the stone mortar is the way to go.