Italian-Indonesian Pasta Fusion

Hi there, finally I can go back to my kitchen last weekend, full from Saturday and Sunday and I cook another pasta creation for my hubby's favorite.

Indonesia has many kinds of sambal (chili paste) which are traditional, rustic and different from one city to another city around the country, but there are some kinds of sambal which are more popular among the others, such as Sambal Matah, Sambal Bawang or Sambal Korek (using raw shallots and red chili; very spicy) , Sambal Tomat (using red chili and tomato), Sambal Hijau (using green chili), and Sambal Mangga (using slice mango). Usually, sambal is used as side dish of meat dishes, such as sambal matah for side dish of Bebek Betutu from Bali, Sambal Korek for side dish of Fried Duck or Fried Chicken, Sambal Tomat for side dish of Grilled Chicken, Sambal Hijau for side dish of Fried Duck and Sambal Mangga for side dish of Fried Chicken.

Recently, many creations is risen up in Indonesia, especially creations dishes using Sambal Matah and Sambal Korek for side dish of noodles or rice bowl. And today, I also make my creation using Sambal Matah paired with Italian pasta, I'm using spaghetti so this is called Spaghetti Sambal Matah.

Sambal Matah consists of raw shallots, raw garlic, red chilli, lemongrass, keffir-lime leaf, shrimp paste (terasi), lime juice, seasoned with salt and black pepper and poured with warm coconut oil. It's salty, spicy, tangy, rich and rustic (beware your breath after eat this sambal LOL). So, let's check my recipe below.

The ingredients we needs are 20 pcs shallots, 5 cloves garlic, 8 pcs red chilli, 4 pcs lemongrass, 5 pcs keffir-lime leaf, lime juice from 1 lime, 2 tsp grilled shrimp paste, salt, black pepper and 5 tbs coconut oil or vegetable oil. For the pasta, I'm using spaghetti (or you can replace with fettuccine or linguini).

For extra meaty, I'm using sliced of white mushrooms, but you can use pork belly or boneless chicken breast if desired.

First step is heat the coconut oil in a sauce pan over low-medium heat for 2 minutes, turn off the heat and set aside. Finely chopped all ingredients for Sambal Matah.

Placed in a large bowl sliced of shallots, garlic, red chilli, lemongrass, keffir-lime leaf, grilled shrimp paste, lemon juice, seasoned with salt and black pepper to taste.

Mixed all ingredients, and then poured warm coconut oil into the mixed sambal.

Mixed all ingredients until shrimp paste is dissolved and covered with coconut oil. Set aside so the taste of sambal matah will absorbed and juicy.

Then, bring to boil a large pot with a quart of water, add salt and cooked the spaghetti until al dente (based on the direction of the packaging, for 10 minutes). Drained and drenched immediately in ice cool water and drained again. Set aside. Don't waste the pasta water.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tbs olive oil and wait until bubbled, then add sliced of white mushrooms. Sauteed until reduced its sized for 1-2 minutes.

Add cooked spaghetti and toss well.

Add 3 tbs of sambal matah and stirred until well combined.

Add 1/3 cup of pasta water to avoid dryness.

Seasoned well with salt to taste then toss until all ingredients well combined.

Turn off the heat and served immediately. This is soooo delicious!! Salty, spicy, tangy, meaty, deep flavour and perfectly cooked, shallots is still a little bit crunchy so the texture is also perfect! Enjoy!!

Get The Recipe: Spaghetti Sambal Matah

portion: 3

preparation time: 10 minutes

cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

250 gr dried spaghetti or linguini

1 quart of water (don't waste after cooking the pasta)

salt

100 gr fresh white mushrooms, sliced

2 tbs olive oil

Sambal Matah:

20 pcs shallots

5 cloves garlic

8 pcs red chilli

4 pcs lemongrass

5 pcs keffir-lime leafs

lime juice from 1 lime

2 tsp grilled shrimp paste

salt

blackpepper

5 tbs coconut oil or vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Heat the coconut oil in a sauce pan over low-medium heat for 2 minutes, turn off the heat and set aside. Finely chopped all ingredients for Sambal Matah.

2. Placed in a large bowl sliced of shallots, garlic, red chilli, lemongrass, keffir-lime leaf, grilled shrimp paste, lemon juice, seasoned with salt and black pepper to taste.

3. Mixed all ingredients, and then poured warm coconut oil into the mixed sambal. Mixed all ingredients until shrimp paste is dissolved and covered with coconut oil. Set aside so the taste of sambal matah will absorbed and juicy.

4. Then, bring to boil a large pot with a quart of water, add salt and cooked the spaghetti until al dente (based on the direction of the packaging, for 10 minutes). Drained and drenched immediately in ice cool water and drained again. Set aside.Don't waste the pasta water.

5. In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tbs olive oil and wait until bubbled, then add sliced of white mushrooms. Sauteed until reduced its sized for 1-2 minutes.

6. Add cooked spaghetti and toss well. Add 3 tbs of sambal matah and stirred until well combined.

7. Add 1/3 cup of pasta water to avoid dryness. Seasoned well with salt to taste then toss until all ingredients well combined. Turn off the heat and served immediately.

#meatless #pasta #recipe #spaghetti #mushroom #matah