Lita Eats

Balado Jengkol Ikan Teri

A bold and spicy Indonesian dish combining tender jengkol with crispy fried anchovies in a fragrant sambal balado. The jengkol is cooked until tender and lightly fried, then coated in a rich, spicy chilli sauce. Crispy anchovies are added at the very end for a savoury crunch.

Ingredients

• 500 g jengkol, boiled until tender and lightly crushed
• 100 g small dried anchovies (ikan teri), fried until crispy
• 8 curly red chillies (cabai merah keriting)
• 5 red bird’s eye chillies
• 6 shallots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tomato
• 2 kaffir lime leaves
• ½ tsp sugar
• Salt, to taste
• Chicken stock powder, to taste
• Cooking oil, as needed

Method

1. Prepare the jengkol
   Boil the jengkol until tender, then lightly crush each piece using the back of a spoon or a pestle. Heat some oil in a pan and fry the jengkol until lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
2. Make the sambal
   Blend the curly red chillies, bird’s eye chillies, shallots, garlic, and tomato into a coarse or smooth paste, depending on your preference.
3. Cook the sambal
   Heat a little oil in the same pan and sauté the chilli paste together with the kaffir lime leaves. Cook over medium heat until fragrant, fully cooked, and the oil begins to separate from the sambal. This step helps develop a deeper, richer flavour.
4. Add the jengkol
   Add the fried jengkol and season with salt, sugar, and chicken stock powder. Stir well and cook for a few minutes until the sambal is absorbed into the jengkol.
5. Add the anchovies
   Turn off the heat and gently fold in the crispy fried anchovies. Mix briefly, just enough to combine while keeping the anchovies crunchy.

Tip

Add the fried anchovies only at the very end. This keeps them crispy, savoury, and crunchy rather than allowing them to become soft in the sambal.