Malaysian · sauce/condiment
Sambal Belacan (Roasted Shrimp Paste Sambal)
Sambal Belacan (Roasted Shrimp Paste Sambal) reads heat 5.6, umami 5.3 and marine & briny 5.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Malaysian sauce/condiment, about 10 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 6.8 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 4.1 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 5.4 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 0.0 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 2.9 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 5.9 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Heat 5.6 · Umami 5.3 · Marine & Briny 5.3 · Salinity 5.1 · Citrus 5.0 · Funk & Ferment 4.7 · Sweetness 4.0 · Richness 2.9 · Herbaceous 2.4 · Floral 2.2 · Sourness 1.1 · Fruity 0.6
What's in it (6)
- 6 fresh red chilies
- 10 bird eye chilies
- 1 tsp toasted shrimp paste belacan
- 2 tbsp calamansi
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp sugar
Time & effort: about 10 min (8 min active) · effort: easy
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 22.5 kcal, 1 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 5.4 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (3 steps)
- Toast belacan by wrapping in foil and heating in a dry pan until fragrant.
- Pound toasted belacan with both types of chilies in a mortar and pestle.
- Season with lime juice, salt, and a pinch of sugar.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Tom Kha Teacups — Thai
- Tom Yum Goong — Thai
- Laksa Sarawak (Sarawak Borneo Laksa) — Malaysian
- Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup) — Vietnamese
- Tom Kha Gai — Thai
Keep reading: what heat, umami, marine & briny mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →
Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.