Three Types of Sambal Belacan Loved by the People of Perak

Everyone knows what sambal belacan is. It is a side dish typically eaten with fish or fresh herbs (ulam). What exactly is it that has kept sambal belacan fans captivated for centuries?

We all know that Kelantan is popular for its budu, Johor is famous for its sambal totok, and Melaka is known for its cencalok. But what about our state, Perak? Fundamentally, Perak does not have a unique sambal belacan like Kelantan's budu. Based on an interview by the orangperak.com editor with the elders around Titi Gantung, Bota, when asked about the origins of sambal belacan, many stated that it has been around for a long time, possibly even before the era of Hang Tuah. Besides dried fish, pekasam, and many other foods, belacan is a cooking ingredient made from compressed shrimp that has a long shelf life. Belacan is processed from krill or small sea shrimp, and once processed, it can be stored for a long time for cooking purposes.

William Marsden

According to the book titled "A Dictionary of the Malayan Language" written by William Marsden and published in 1812, the word 'belacan' was included in his writing, proving that belacan had been created by the Malay people since before 1805. For general knowledge, William Marsden was an orientalist, linguist, numismatist, and a pioneer in the scholarly study of Indonesia. Returning to the original discussion and the title of this article, which is the sambal belacan that the people of Perak are crazy about. For your information, loyal readers of orangperak.com, this list was compiled based on interviews with restaurant owners and averaged across the 12 districts in the state of Perak.

Standard Sambal Belacan

Standard sambal belacan - It's not just the people of Perak who love sambal belacan; it can be said that all Malaysians love it! This is the foundation for all types of sambal belacan. On average, fans only need sambal belacan, fresh herbs (ulam), and white rice to satisfy their cravings.

Tempoyak Sambal Belacan

Tempoyak sambal belacan - Originally, it was made when durian fruit was pecked by squirrels or birds and turned into tempoyak because it was no longer suitable to be eaten raw. Once turned into tempoyak, it makes a delicious sambal belacan. Because they didn't want to waste the durian, tempoyak was created and diversified, eventually leading to this sambal belacan.

Kuini Sambal Belacan

Kuini sambal belacan - Have you ever heard the old folks' advice that you shouldn't make sambal belacan with kuini fruit because it will get wormy? This is not true at all; in reality, the elders just wanted you to leave some kuini fruit for them to make their own sambal belacan. Because kuini fruit is seasonal, kuini sambal belacan often holds a special place in the hearts of our community. Are you also a fan of sambal belacan? I was salivating while editing this article and thinking about finding some kuini sambal belacan for lunch.