Sambal

Sambal is a category of chili-based sauces or pastes originating in maritime Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesian and Malaysian cuisines, traditionally combining ground chili pepper with salt, sugar, cooking oil, shallot, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, shrimp paste and anchovies, though recipes vary widely by region. It emerged after chili peppers reached maritime Southeast Asia from the Americas in the sixteenth century, replacing earlier spicy relishes made from indigenous ingredients such as long pepper and ginger, and it was established across the Indonesian archipelago and the Malay Peninsula by the eighteenth century. It may be served raw or cooked and can function as a condiment, a flavoring base or a standalone side dish, and migration has carried it to South Africa, Suriname, the Netherlands and Sri Lanka.