A WOK-TOSSED LOVE LETTER

Our Sambal Goreng Jamur celebrates the humble mushroom.

Glazed in a sticky sambal, this is a mushroom stir fry that hits every note: the heat of chilli, the sweetness of palm sugar and the bright tang of lime. It’s fiery without being rude, rich without being heavy, and cheeky enough to steal the spotlight from the main course. Try it.

Prep Time: 10 minutes (excluding the making of the samba) | Cook Time: 5-6 minutes

Ingredients

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400 g Mixed mushrooms (oyster, shiitake, or Swiss brown)
3 tbsp Classic Sambal*
1 tsp Palm sugar or brown sugar (1 tsp)
1 tsp Kecap manis
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Lime juice
Oil for frying (we use peanut oil)

Fried shallots & coriander (for garnish)

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For the sambal  — Makes about 1 cup
6–8 long red chillies (mild)
2 bird’s eye chillies (for heat, optional)
4 shallots, peeled and roughly choppe
3 cloves garlic
1 medium tomato, roughly chopped
1 tsp red or brown miso paste or fish sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp palm or brown
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp oil (peanut or vegetable)
Juice of ½ lime

Method

–

1. Prep the mushies:
Give those mushrooms a quick wipe-down and tear or slice them into chunky, personality-filled pieces. If you’ve got oyster mushrooms, keep a few big floppy ones — they crisp up like magic.

2. Sear:
Heat about 2 tbsp of oil in your wok (or favourite heavy pan) till it’s shimmering like a summer mirage. Toss in the mushrooms — not all at once, we’re not running a clown car — and stir-fry in batches until golden and just crisp on the edges (3–4 minutes).

Set aside. Try not to eat them all yet.

3. Build the flavour:
Add the last spoonful of oil to the wok, then spoon in your sambal. Let it sizzle for a minute or two until your kitchen smells like Bali and your neighbours start asking questions.

4. Glaze:
Mushrooms back in! Add palm sugar, kecap manis and a pinch of salt. Toss everything till it’s sticky, shiny and begging for a rice companion. If it starts sticking, splash in a bit of water and keep things moving.

5. Finish:
A cheeky squeeze of lime to wake it all up. Taste — you’re aiming for that perfect trifecta: spicy, sweet and tangy.

6. Serve:
Pile high on a platter, sprinkle with fried shallots and coriander, and serve hot (or room-temp if you’re feeling relaxed).