Nava's Zen: Easy Potato Sambal: Vegetarian Potato Sambal Recipes

(Updated Version)

Looking back, I’m amazed at the number of vegetarian potato sambal recipes I’ve managed to retrieve. (DRUMSTICK/MURUNGAI POTATO CURRY). Different styles of cooking vary, but the core ingredients are:

Chili Paste: Made from dried chillies, red chillies, or a combination of both, blended.
Shallots or Onions
Garlic
Lime Juice (or tamarind juice; I always prefer lime juice for potato sambal)
Salt
Oil

Cooking Variations
Feel free to include your own twists. Generally, I skip ginger as there’s already enough heat from the chillies. For the potatoes, you can fry them first (with or without skin) or cook them directly in the sambal paste by adding some water to soften them.

Homestyle Vegetarian Thali Set
Malay Style Vegetarian Potato Sambal
Vegetable Kurma or Korma
Leafy Veggie Stir-Fried With Coconut
Bottle Gourd Stir-Fried With White Lentil
(See the first picture above for this Homestyle Vegetarian Thali Set.)

Another Flavorful Vegetarian Thali Set
Thai Style Vegetarian Potato Sambal
Brinjal Vegetarian Claypot Curry
Ginger Torch/Bunga Kantan No-Cook Salad
Basmati Rice Kheer
(Check out the picture below for this Vegetarian Thali Set.)

Reflections on Vegetarianism
Vegetarian Potato Sambal often makes an appearance on our dining table during my husband’s vegetarian Saturdays (VEGETARIAN NASI ULAM/HERBS RICE). For me, being vegetarian isn’t tied to religious beliefs or the notion that only vegetarians are blessed. I believe that true blessing comes to those with a clean heart. What about you?

These are just a few among the endless list of my potato sambal recipes

Easy Potato Sambal/Sambal Kentang Senang
Ingredients
5 potatoes (peeled, diced into bite-sized pieces, and mixed with some salt)
2 onions (roughly pounded)
Bird's eye chilies (to taste, roughly pounded)
Red chilies (to taste, roughly pounded)
Lime juice (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Cooking oil (as needed)

Method
Heat oil in a pan and fry the diced potatoes until cooked.
Remove and set aside.
Reduce the amount of oil to 2 tbsp.
Add the roughly pounded onions and chilies.
Stir and then add the fried potatoes back into the pan.
Mix everything together.
Season with lime juice and salt.
Continue stirring until well combined.
Dish out.

Simple Thai Vegetarian Potato Sambal
Ingredients
For the Sambal Paste
6 red chilies
1 tomato
1/2 handful of spring onions (use only the white part; keep the green part for garnishing)
Blend/pulse these ingredients with some water

Other Ingredients
4 potatoes (simmered until tender, cooled, and sliced)
6 shallots (sliced)
Palm sugar (to taste)
Salt (to taste)

Method
Heat enough oil in a pan.
Fry the potatoes until golden.
Remove and set aside.
Leave about 4 tbsp of oil in the same pan.
Add the sambal paste and shallots.

Fry until aromatic and the oil splits.

Season with palm sugar and salt.
Add the potatoes back into the pan, stir, and then remove from heat.
Combine in the sliced green parts of spring onions.

Easiest Malay Vegetarian Potato Sambal/Sambal Kentang
Ingredients
3 potatoes (sliced)
1 turmeric leaf (sliced)
3 shallots (chopped)
4 garlic cloves (chopped)
Dried chili paste (to taste)
Lime juice (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
3 tbsp oil

Method
Heat oil in a pan and fry the turmeric leaf until fragrant.
Remove and set aside.
In the same oil, fry the sliced potatoes until golden.
Remove and set aside.
In the same oil, sauté the shallots and garlic until fragrant.

Add the dried chili paste and stir well.

Return the fried potatoes to the pan and season with lime juice and salt.
Stir to combine.
Off the heat, mix in the fried turmeric leaf.

No-Fuss Potato Sambal
Ingredients
3 potatoes (sliced)
1 large onion (sliced)
Dried chili paste (to taste)
Lime juice (to taste)
2 tbsp oil
Salt (to taste)

Some water

Method
Heat oil in a pan and add the chili paste.
Cook briefly.
Add the potatoes and stir, adding a little water as needed.
Cook until the potatoes are softened.