Lemongrass-Shallot Sambal

Preparation 1. Cut off the hard, brown bottom end and the bristly, greenish top of the lemongrass stalk, which will leave you with a pale, white-and-lilac piece approximately 5 inches long. Discard the tough outer layers. Slice the lemongrass very thinly, then chop the slices as finely as you can — using a very sharp knife will help you enormously. Chopping lemongrass this thoroughly may take a few extra minutes, but it should be the consistency of sand by the time you've finished prepping it. Transfer the lemongrass to a bowl. Make sure that the chiles and shallots are chopped just as finely. Add the chiles, shallots, oil, lime juice, and salt to the bowl. Stir well to combine. Taste again, and add a pinch more salt if needed. 2. Transfer to a small serving bowl for guests to spoon from directly and let rest for 10 minutes before eating to allow the flavors to meld. Cook's Note:Holland chiles (also called Dutch or finger chiles) are the primary hot pepper used in Indonesian cooking. They are ruby red in color and glossy skinned, with narrow, fingerlike bodies that end in sharp points. They're about four inches long (sometimes longer, but rarely shorter) and a half inch in diameter at their thickest point. They have juicy, sweet-tasting flesh and tight, waxy skin that keeps them from spoiling quickly. Holland chiles vary from mildly hot to scorching, but they lose much of their pungency when cooked. They're available year-round in North America, generally imported from the Netherlands. If you can't find them, you may substitute any fresh red chiles such as Fresno, cherry bells, cayennes, Anaheims, huachinangos, jalapeños, or serranos. Adapted with permission from Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore

Preparation 1. Cut off the hard, brown bottom end and the bristly, greenish top of the lemongrass stalk, which will leave you with a pale, white-and-lilac piece approximately 5 inches long. Discard the tough outer layers. Slice the lemongrass very thinly, then chop the slices as finely as you can — using a very sharp knife will help you enormously. Chopping lemongrass this thoroughly may take a few extra minutes, but it should be the consistency of sand by the time you've finished prepping it. Transfer the lemongrass to a bowl. Make sure that the chiles and shallots are chopped just as finely. Add the chiles, shallots, oil, lime juice, and salt to the bowl. Stir well to combine. Taste again, and add a pinch more salt if needed. 2. Transfer to a small serving bowl for guests to spoon from directly and let rest for 10 minutes before eating to allow the flavors to meld. Cook's Note:Holland chiles (also called Dutch or finger chiles) are the primary hot pepper used in Indonesian cooking. They are ruby red in color and glossy skinned, with narrow, fingerlike bodies that end in sharp points. They're about four inches long (sometimes longer, but rarely shorter) and a half inch in diameter at their thickest point. They have juicy, sweet-tasting flesh and tight, waxy skin that keeps them from spoiling quickly. Holland chiles vary from mildly hot to scorching, but they lose much of their pungency when cooked. They're available year-round in North America, generally imported from the Netherlands. If you can't find them, you may substitute any fresh red chiles such as Fresno, cherry bells, cayennes, Anaheims, huachinangos, jalapeños, or serranos. Adapted with permission from Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore