while I like sambal sometimes I feel like there always is something I’m missing. it often has this penetrating taste of garlic that just doesn’t go well with the flavor of the chilies. Sriracha actually has the same issue for me.

What is sambal? I’ve never tried it.

It’s a type of chili sauce that’s basically hot red chile paste with garlic, some sort of onion/shallot, and I believe shrimp paste usually. Sometimes people also use tomato, and may cook some of the ingredients other than the shrimp paste as well. Also herbs and spices like lemongrass, ginger, etc depending on specific tastes. It’s supposed to be quite a bright flavor.

It’s an ingredient, not a condiment imo

I’m assuming you bought this instead of cooked it because most of us don’t stock styrofoam containers.

Can you tell us where you got it?

There are many types of sambal. Something like sambal brandal (sambal with nuts and lime leaves) or sambal manis (sweet sambal) has more flavour than plain sambal (which is just vinegar and chillies).

Shrimp paste! That sounds good. Is it from Thai cooking?

I bought this homemade kitchen in west java from a lady that cooks fried chicken from her home and then sell in in the cafeteria

Sambal is a popular condiment in indonesia made up of hot chili peppers, garlic, shallots, salt, and other spices varying from regions in indonesia cooked together

Sambal is Indonesian I think, though I know it through malaysian food mostly. If you mean shrimp paste itself, I’m not sure, but I would assume that the origin is prehistoric and shrimp paste co-originated with lots of coastal people in the area.

Cool. I should go to West Java