Super Sedap Sambal Belachan

CNY this year was a great opportunity to squeeze recipes from various relatives. This is my mum's super sedap sambal belachan. She used to make this for monthly dinner meetings at Bishopsgate, and I remember a regular complaining bitterly the one time she did not make it. Here is my modified recipe (since my mum gave me the recipe in bowls...

1 cup of shallots
1/2 cup of garlic
1 cup of fresh chillies
1/2 cup of dried chillies
2 tablespoons of belachan
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
10 calamansi limes (squeezed)
sugar to taste (about 6 - 7 teaspoonfuls)

Dry fry or toast belachan for 2 - 3 minutes till crumbly. Finely chop the chillis, shallots and garlic, and pound together with belachan in a mortar. The condiments should be of a paste-like consistency. Heat a wok with vegetable oil. When hot, add in the pounded mix and fry till fragrant (about 5 - 10 minutes). Squeeze in limes, add salt and sugar and taste. Brace yourself for the whoppingly good flavour!