Bumbu Dasar Merah

Name: Bumbu Dasar Merah
Yield: About 1 cup paste
Ingredients: Red chile pepper; shallot; garlic; tomato; roasted shrimp paste (terasi); coconut sugar; and salt

The Quirky Foodster Team

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (0)

About 1 cup paste

Servings

Ingredients

Red chile pepper
shallot
garlic
tomato
roasted shrimp paste (terasi)
coconut sugar
and salt

Method

Pound or blend all ingredients into a paste; the shrimp paste is typically toasted or roasted briefly before incorporating.
The shrimp paste (terasi) component benefits from brief toasting/roasting to reduce its raw pungency and develop depth.

Origin: Indonesia — literally ‘basic red spice paste.’

Use: The base for reddish-colored Indonesian dishes.

Classic Dishes: Nasi goreng; sambal goreng hati; various stir-fried vegetable dishes.

Storage: Keeps 3-4 days refrigerated, or several months frozen in portions.

Variations: Part of the Indonesian bumbu dasar family of base spice pastes.

Substitutions: A simplified red chile, shallot, garlic, and tomato paste, accepting the loss of terasi’s specific umami depth.