Dishes · A classic of Minangkabau · Padang
Sambal ijo
Green chillies, shallots and green tomato, steamed, pounded coarse and fried in oil.
What makes it sambal ijo
- Green chillies, never red.
- Pounded coarse, not blended smooth.
- Fried in oil after pounding.
Where it comes from
Every Padang table has sambal, and the green one — lado mudo, 'young chilli' — is the one people come back for. It's milder than red sambal, grassy and sweet from the shallots.
The chillies are steamed or boiled before pounding, which tames their rawness; then it's fried in plenty of oil, which is how it keeps.
