Salmon In Hot Sambal Sauce
Salmon in hot sambal
Salmon is my favourite fish here in Scotland. It’s easy to cook and tastes very tender if not over cooked. Since my family loves spicy food, I thought cooking it with a hot sambal sauce would be awesome. Sambal is a spicy condiment which is very popular in South East Asian countries, especially Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. In Malaysia, this hot sambal is made mainly from onions, garlic and chili. Some add belachan, a shrimp paste, and some don’t. This hot sambal is very delicious and gives you the punch. You can control the heat by adjusting the amount of chili added.
I often use salmon fillet to cook but this time, I thought maybe I should use salmon steaks. It did come out very delicious, easy and nice to serve. This recipe is very easy and simple too.
Ingredients A
2 pieces salmon steaks (about 350g)
corn flour
Fry the salmon steaks
Coat the salmon with some corn flour. I did not add any salt before frying because the sambal sauce is salty enough. Heat up some oil in a frying pan and pan fry the salmon under medium heat. When it’s lightly browned on one side, flip it over to fry the other side until cooked. Do not over fry otherwise the salmon will be tough. While putting the salmon to fry, make the tamarind sauce below.
Ingredients B
1/2 whole garlic (peeled and chopped finely)
2 small red onions (peeled and chopped finely)
1 big onions (peeled and sliced)
2T crushed chilies
60g tamarind
1t belacan (optional)
1C water
Tamarind
Add the tamarind to the water and sqeeze it to loosen the tamarind into the water. Sieve to remove the bits and set aside for use later.
Fry the spices
Heat up some oil in a frying pan or wok. Add the finely chopped garlic and red onions and fry until fragrant. Then add the big onions and crushed chilies and continue to fry for a while. Add the tamarind liquid and Ingredients C. Mix well, let it come to a boil for a while and dish up. Pour it over the salmon steaks. Serve hot with rice.
Ingredients C (seasoning)
1/2t salt
1t chicken stock granules
2T sugar
What is your favourite fish? Do you have a favourite salmon dish to share? Please share, add and comment in the comment box below.
Other salmon recipes that you may be interested in:
Teriyaki Salmon
Spicy Salmon Fillets
Chili Salmon With Hot Bean Paste
Spicy Seafood Kimchi Soup
Teriyaki Salmon Prawns Patties
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Martha Washington
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71 Comments
Quinn on April 2nd, 2010
I like salmon too but I hate it when I tend to overcook it. I don’t have a favourite salmon fish to share but for sambal yes. Make sambal fried rice, it’s awesome!
somewhere in singapore on April 2nd, 2010
I also likes salmon fish, hehe….
Priya on April 2nd, 2010
Such a tempting sambal with salmon, personally am not that much fan of salmon ,but this dish makes me drool..
Kitchen Butterfly on April 2nd, 2010
Up my street……when we cook salmon at home sometimes, we cook it in a hot tomato sauce, which makes me know I’d love this!
Yen on April 2nd, 2010
I love salmon and spicy food. Great combo!
rosebelle on April 2nd, 2010
This is awesome Mary! I always buy packaged sambal sauce from my local Chinese supermarket. Gosh, I’d love to make them fresh. Always better making sauce fresh! Thanks a million!!
Treat and Trick on April 2nd, 2010
This is so tempting, sambal makes it so outstanding dish….
Sushma Mallya on April 2nd, 2010
very delicious one,loved it mary and happy easter..
Mary on April 2nd, 2010
@Divina - Thanks very much, Divina! So far salmon is one of the cheaper fish here….thank goodness 
@Quinn - Oooh…..thanks very much for reminding….sambal rice. Used to make but somehow have forgotten. I have to cook that again…mmmm….delicious
@somewhere in singapore - We are in the same league!
@Priya - Haha…..you must be hungry now…..time to take out your wok & have fun cooking
@Kitchen Butterfly - Ooooh…I bet it taste really delicious in hot tomato sauce. I’m learning more ways to cook salmon now….thanks lots
@Yen - We are in the same league then!
@rosebelle - You are most welcome. It’s simple and easy to make. You can try now. I have no choice…no where to buy here. I’m forced to learn and make fresh…haha
@Treat and Trick - Thanks very much!
@Sushma Mallya - Thanks very much, Sushma!
Nasi Lemak Lover on April 2nd, 2010
is expensive to get salmon here, can I replace with some other type of fish? Look yummy.
Mary on April 2nd, 2010
@Nasi Lemak Lover - I’m sure you can use other fish. Other fresh fish here are very expensive. This sambal would be very delicious with fried eggs or omelette too. Give a try. Have fun cooking!
Vinolia on April 2nd, 2010
Dear Mary,
thank you for the visit & for the comment!!! happily discovering your recipes, as we do regularly and love all south-east asian food very much!!!
your salmon looks fantastic topped with the sambal sauce , mmmm, makes me mouthwater!!! I have some “Belachan” at home, will try this!!!
Amy @ cookbookmaniac on April 2nd, 2010
Mary! I wish I was in your kitchen when you were frying up the sambal, it would have smelt like heaven to me. I love garlic and onions and tamarind and chilies. Oh this dish sounds like a dream to me!
I love pan frying a salmon fillet until the skin is crispy and serving it with mash potatoes and drizzle the whole then with a lemon, butter, garlic sauce. Simple but lovely.
Mary on April 2nd, 2010
@Vinolia - Thanks very much for visiting and lovely comment, Vinolia! Have fun cooking!
@Amy @ cookbookmaniac - Haha…it smells like heaven to me but may smell like hell to my neighbours! 
Love your way of cooking salmon. I would love to try that. Thanks very much for sharing
Mark @ Cafe Campana on April 2nd, 2010
Hi Mary, this looks really good. I love sambal sauce, so spicy.
shaz on April 2nd, 2010
Yum, yum. I like salmon too. Serving it with sambal is a great idea. I usually just do a quick sauce with ginger, sweet soy and dash of sesame oil.
Cool Lassi(e) on April 2nd, 2010
Dear,
Thanks for stopping by my spot. You have a splendid space here as well. Salmon in Sambal gravy is looking great!
the lacquer spoon on April 2nd, 2010
Good salmon and spicy sambal meet in Scotland, exciting! Lovely weekend dish and happy Easter!!
penny aka jeroxie on April 2nd, 2010
You are the salmon goddness! So many delicious dishes of salmon
Drick on April 2nd, 2010
now that does look awesome Mary, great tasting and love the spice to the already flavorful salmon, know this one was great
Velva on April 2nd, 2010
This salmon dish really rocks-looks wonderful.
Lyndsey on April 2nd, 2010
Your Sambal sauce looks wonderful. I think the salmons steaks would hold up well to it. We love salmon and I got the timming down to a “T” so not to overcook it. My daughter always used to request it, so you can’t go wrong there.
Mary on April 2nd, 2010
@Mark @ Cafe Campana - Thanks very much, Mark!
@shaz - Your version sounds very delicious. I would love to try that. Thanks very much for sharing, Shaz!
@Cool Lassi(e) - Thanks for visiting and lovely comment!
@the lacquer spoon - Thanks very much! Have a fun weekend and Happy Easter, too!
@penny aka jeroxie - Thanks very much, Penny! I love salmon
@Drick - Thanks very much, Drick! Gosh, looks like I’m cooking more and more spicy food these days
@Velva - Thanks very much for visiting and lovely comment, Velva!
@Lyndsey - Thanks very much, Lyndsey! My children like salmon a lot too…thank goodness
Jeannie on April 2nd, 2010
I have a craving for sambal right now! Good job tomorrow is a Saturday, I can buy some sambal from the nasi lemak man…mmmmm yummy salmon dish! First time seeing salmon cooked this way…good idea!
kristy on April 2nd, 2010
Oh, you’re HOT babe! hahaha…. Guess, this is one perfect dish for such weather. Chili best in warming your stomach! Happy Easter Day to you & your family! And have a great weekend.
Cheers, Kristy
tasteofbeirut on April 2nd, 2010
Looks fabulous! I will ask my brother to bring us some sambal from Singapore next time I see him!
Faith on April 2nd, 2010
This dish looks nice and spicy, Mary!
I’m glad you liked my Worms in Dirt parfaits, and I’m thrilled that you thought they looked decadent enough to contain a few thousand calories! 
I actually used sugar free pudding mix and fat free milk and divided the reicpe into 6 portions; each portion has approximaetely 250-300 calories. After eating healthy all week long, I think a 300 calorie dessert is the perfect treat!
Mary on April 2nd, 2010
@Jeannie - You are just so lucky to buy sambal so easily! I have to cook it here and then the whole house smells….hmmm. But I enjoy first…haha
@kristy - Yes, it actually feels so good to eat spicy food in this cold weather. At least it feel warms in the stomach Thanks very much for your greetings, Kristy. Have a fun weekend!
@tasteofbeirut - Oh….your brother must be enjoying lots of good food in Singapore! I can’t wait to go back for holidays. Miss all the food back home! There’s so much food I want to eat
@Faith - Thanks very much, Faith! Haha…love the name…..Worm in Dirt Parfaits! You are just so creative! I think even if it is loaded with calories, I will still eat….just once in a while Need more exercise after that…haha. But great that you made it lower in calories
Cheah on April 2nd, 2010
That’s an original creation, Mary. But salmon is so expensive here, normally just pan fry, but your sambal sure is something unusual. Thanks for sharing.
peteformation on April 2nd, 2010
Haven’t tried cooking salmon with sambal…..sounds interesting and delicous!
Anna on April 2nd, 2010
Sambal sauce sounds great, I love tamarind flavor, we make juice of the fruit in Brazil, it’s very refreshing.
Namitha on April 2nd, 2010
sounds like a wonderful Salmon recipe..my fav fish is Kingfish I like salmon too
Angie's Recipes on April 2nd, 2010
I can’t get enough of the salmon! This looks just heavenly!
Su-Lin on April 2nd, 2010
This does sound good as the strong flavours in the sambal would match well with the powerful salmon taste. Delicious!
Leena on April 2nd, 2010
Hi Mary,
Thanks for dropping by and leaving a lovely comment,please keep visiting…You have a lovely site and wonderful recipes.Dish is looking amazing!Happy easter to u…
Roti n Rice on April 2nd, 2010
I like salmon too and it is the most easily available fish here in the US. This look svery appetizing!
Yummy Team on April 2nd, 2010
Hi Mary,
Salmon dish looks really delicious! Great pics too! You have a lovely space here with lots of interesting recipes.
Salmon is our fav fish too. We have posted a few salmon dishes in our space. Among them, our favs are baked salmon and salmon roast. Here are the links. You could have a look
Mary on April 2nd, 2010
@Cheah - Thanks very much, Cheah! Over here, there are way more expensive fish! I actually miss a lot of the fresh fish back home. Can’t wait to go back and eat to my heart’s content
@peteformation - Thanks very much! Give a try if you like spicy food. I like it very much
@Anna - I have never made juice from tamarind. I have to check that out. I can believe you that it’s very refreshing. Thanks very much for sharing
@Namitha - I haven’t heard of Kingfish. Or, maybe I have seen them but do not know the name….poor me…haha
@Angie’s Recipes - Thanks very much, Angie!
@Su-Lin - Totally agree with you
@Leena -Thanks very much for visiting and lovely comment, Leena! Have a fun weekend
@Roti n Rice - Thanks very much, Biren!
@Yummy Team - Thanks very much for visiting, lovely comment and sharing with me the links! Your fish dishes look awesome….mmmmm
Carolyn Jung on April 2nd, 2010
Love, love, LOVE tamarind on salmon! That sweet-tangy flavor is such a great match.
Blackswan on April 2nd, 2010
Hey, this is an interesting way to “deal” with Salmon. I usually use teriyaki sauce. Good post!
Peter on April 2nd, 2010
Thanks for sharing. Very nice recipes & pics.
Normally I relay on takeways but now I after reading and checking all the pics I am ready for challenge and I will try to cook. I am converted!
Great job guys.
theUngourmet on April 2nd, 2010
My daughter and I both are big fans of salmon too! What a tasty looking dish!
kamalika on April 2nd, 2010
This dish is new to me…Though I am a voracious fish eater ,I never had salmon with bon…the use of tamarind is making me drooling….
Mary on April 2nd, 2010
This looks wonderful and I think you’ve found the perfect amount of heat to use with the salmon. Have a wonderful weekend, Mary.
citronetvanille on April 2nd, 2010
I am like you, love salmon, and this is really a beautiful dish, use of tamarind is a great idea! but I am afraid I will have to go one degree lower on sambal :), might be too hot for my mouth!
Ellie (Almost Bourdain) on April 2nd, 2010
Anything with hot sambal sauce is a winner! With salmon is double champ!
Mary on April 3rd, 2010
@Carolyn Jung - Thanks very much, Carolyn! We seem to share similar taste
@Blackswan - Thanks very much, Shirley! I love teriyaki salmon too. I cook that very often, especially if I don’t want to eat spicy. Teriyaki sauce is one of the bests sauces in the world
@Peter - Thanks for visiting and lovely comment, Peter! Home cooked food is still the best. Have fun cooking
@theUngourmet - Thanks very much!
@kamalika Thanks very much, Kamalika! Give a try. I like it very much….simple and delicious
@Mary - Yes, hot and spicy! Thanks very much, Mary! Have a wonderful weekend, too
@citronetvanille - Thanks very much, Silvia! You know, sometimes I cook hotter than I could handle…silly me. I had to have a glass of milk at the side to deal with the heat. But it’s delicious
@Ellie (Almost Bourdain) - Totally agree with you
Tuty @Scentofspice on April 3rd, 2010
Mary, I just love this idea. I happen to have a half jar of sambal bajak that will give me shortcut for this dish. Thank you and have a nice weekend.
Von on April 3rd, 2010
Salmon one of my favourite fishes- I like it when it’s fried and the skin goes crunchy…..yum!
I don’t think I’ve had sambal before, but I can’t really stand spicy foods. Sounds really good for chilli lovers though!
pegasuslegend on April 3rd, 2010
wow what beautiful salmon steaks, cook alot of salmon and this is a perfect addtion for my collection of great recipes!
pegasuslegend on April 3rd, 2010
BTW where is home for you? Are you moving soon?
pierre on April 3rd, 2010
i love salmon any ways it is cooked so a socttish must be trust worthy !!
pierre de Paris
Tangled Noodle on April 3rd, 2010
I’ve only ever used premade sambal - now I’m excited to try making it myself with your recipe! Spicy salmon sounds wonderful. 
Angie on April 3rd, 2010
Have to find that delicious sambal sauce. Great looking salmon, yum!
Mary on April 3rd, 2010
@Tuty @Scentofspice - That’s so handy. You only need salmon or any other fish and you can have a lovely meal Have a nice weekend too.
@Von - Great to hear that. We have similar liking! You can always omit the chili, or maybe use very sparingly.
@pegasuslegend - Thanks very much, Claudia! I have to learn more salmon dishes from you…..Italian way I’m in Aberdeen but travels sometimes.
@pierre - Yeah…we have similar taste I bet French way of cooking salmon is awesome. I would love to learn.
@Tangled Noodle - Yes, try your own freshly made sambal. It’s simple and free from preservatives. After a while you will find your own best version. Have fun cooking
@Angie - Thanks very much, Angie! Hope you can find the belacahan for this sambal. You can omit it if you don’t like the smell. Or you can try the bottled one to try first to see if you like. You should be able to get it from Asian shops. Have fun cooking!
lequan@luvtoeat on April 3rd, 2010
Wow what a wonderful dish! My hubby and I usually just pan fry our salmon and dip in worcestershire sauce with white rice. I’m going to try your recipe some day, it looks delicious. My sister in-law once made a crab dish for us using tamarind and ever since then I’ve been intrigued by any dish that uses tamarind. I’ve been following your blog but haven’t been commenting everytime. I love your wonderful recipes! Thank you for such a great blog and for sharing! Hope you have a wonderful long weekend Mary!
noobcook on April 4th, 2010
I love this Asian way of serving salmon coz usually it’s cooked in the western way. Plus, anything hot and spicy is a sure winner to me hehe
Joanne on April 4th, 2010
The fattiness of salmon tastes SO good with spice and acid. This is the perfect combination of flavors. What a great dish!
Tasty Trix on April 4th, 2010
This is genius! I have been looking for the perfect simple sambal recipe - now I have it. My mouth is watering imagining pairing it with salmon!
Mary on April 4th, 2010
@lequan@luvtoeat - Thanks very much for visiting and lovely comment, Lequan! Have fun cooking! Hope you had a wonderful weekend, too.
@noobcook - I’m still very Asian at heart I tried to learn some Western cooking but I think I’m just quite hopeless in that 
My family loves spicy food so most of the time I don’t have much choice but to cook it Asian way.
@Joanne - Totally agree with you. Thanks very much, Joanne!
@Tasty Trix - This is a very simple one. There are some elaborate ones but I like it simple, easy and quick Hope you like this one. Happy cooking!
rebecca on April 4th, 2010
oh wow love this do you live In Aberdeen ? oh and can I feature this on an Alaskan Seafood Companies blog I write and link to you?
rebeccasubbiah at yahoo dot com
Thas on April 4th, 2010
This is such a terrific way of devouring salmon.
veron on April 4th, 2010
what a great sauce for the salmon!
Erica on April 4th, 2010
Wow! That looks amazing…..I love salmon,too! The sauce sounds fantastic.
tigerfish on April 5th, 2010
I almost want to do a post on salmon but decided to postpone it till later! We really share similar likings of food
Mary on April 5th, 2010
@rebecca - Yes, am still in Aberdeen….most of the time. Oh sure, you can feature this & link to me. Thanks very much, Rebecca!
@Thas - Yes, you are very right
@veron - Thanks very much, Veron!
@Erica - Thanks very much, Erica! Give a try. Hope you like it
@tigerfish - Lovely to know we share similar taste. Would love to see your post on salmon
petite nyonya on April 5th, 2010
Sambal salmon sounds delicious!
Mary on April 5th, 2010
@petite nyonya - Thanks very much!
yasmeen on April 6th, 2010
We share the same taste of the fish and hot spice
Mary on April 7th, 2010
@Yasmeen - Hehe…we sure do!
This lovely award was given by a lovely lady at 
Divina on April 2nd, 2010
Salmon is my favorite fish too. It’s very flavorful and good for our health. You’ve made it very special with your delicious and flavorful sauce.