This term is used in much of
Southeast Asia and implies a
chili-hot
relish or else any dish that has been cooked with a
paste of red chiles.
A cautionary tale: A family friend once brought us a jar labelled
Sambal olek as a
token from his
journeys. Being
inveterate and tough
salsa consumers, we figured it would be no big deal. Boy, were we wrong. The toughest among us still
quake at the thought of
sambal olek. I don't know what became of the rest of the jar.