Sambal goreng kentang is an Indonesian side dish of small fried potatoes and often crispy anchovies or peanuts, tossed in a fried chili and shallot sambal. The potatoes get fried first until firm and lightly crisp, then finished briefly in the sambal so they take on the sauce without turning soft.
This dish comes out of the same Javanese kitchen tradition as rendang and other sambal goreng dishes, where "goreng" simply means fried and "sambal" refers to the chili paste that gets cooked into a sauce rather than served raw as a condiment. It's a staple at Indonesian gatherings and everyday meals alike, usually served as one of several dishes alongside rice.
Done well, the potatoes stay distinct pieces coated in sauce, not a mash swimming in chili oil.
What Actually Matters
Frying the potatoes separately before they ever touch the sambal is the whole trick. If you boil the potatoes or add them raw to the sauce, they release starch and turn the sambal gluey, and the potatoes themselves go soft and waterlogged instead of holding their shape. Cut the potatoes small, dry them thoroughly, and shallow fry them in batches until the outside is firm and lightly golden before you even start the sambal. They should be able to sit on a paper towel holding their shape, not collapsing.
Sambal Goreng Kentang Recipe
Serves 4. Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 25 minutes. Total time: 45 minutes.
- 1.5 pounds waxy potatoes (like Yukon gold), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- Vegetable oil, for frying (about 2 cups)
- 5 shallots, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 6 dried red chilies, soaked in hot water 10 minutes and drained
- 2 fresh red chilies, roughly chopped
- 1 tomato, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for the sambal
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 2 kaffir lime leaves
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, for topping
- Pat the potato cubes completely dry with a towel. Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 325 degrees F and fry the potatoes in batches for 5 to 6 minutes, until firm and lightly golden. Drain on paper towels.
- In a food processor, blend the shallots, garlic, soaked dried chilies, fresh chilies, and tomato into a coarse paste.
- Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the paste and tomato paste, and cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the raw smell is gone and the oil starts to separate at the edges.
- Add the palm sugar, salt, and kaffir lime leaves, and stir to combine. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the fried potatoes to the sambal and toss gently to coat, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes just to heat through and let the sauce cling. Do not stir too vigorously or the potatoes will break apart.
- Taste and adjust salt or sugar. Remove the lime leaves, top with roasted peanuts, and serve.
| Nutrition (per serving) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | approximately 310 |
| Protein | approximately 6g |
| Fat | approximately 17g |
| Carbohydrates | approximately 34g |
These values are a calculated estimate based on the ingredients above, not lab-verified nutrition data.
Tips, Variations, and Storage
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to three days, though the potatoes will soften somewhat on reheating. A quick reheat in a dry hot pan brings back some texture better than the microwave does. A common variation adds crispy fried anchovies (teri) or chicken liver alongside the potatoes for extra savoriness, added at the same step as the fried potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake the potatoes instead of frying them?
You can roast them at 425 degrees F until golden and firm, but shallow frying gives a slightly crisper exterior that holds up better once tossed in the sauce.
My sambal turned out watery. What went wrong?
The paste likely wasn't cooked long enough before adding liquid ingredients. Keep cooking it until the oil visibly separates at the edges, that's the sign it's ready.
Can I make this less spicy?
Reduce the dried and fresh chilies and increase the tomato slightly. The dish should still carry real heat, but you control how much.
What can I substitute for kaffir lime leaves?
A small strip of lime zest is the closest substitute, though it won't have quite the same floral note. Skip it entirely if you can't find either.
Is this dish usually served hot or at room temperature?
Both. It's common at Indonesian gatherings served at room temperature alongside rice and other dishes, though it's just as good served hot right off the stove.
If you liked the fried chili paste technique here, the same sambal base shows up again, cooked differently, in rendang.
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I'm Chef Alan. I have spent 35 years in professional kitchens, I have formal culinary education in New Hampshire, and I have been honored as a 6-Time 4-Diamond Chef. More about me here.
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