Step 1

Place shallots, chili (if using fresh/dried chilies), garlic, and tomato in a food processor and you can either blend them until fine or roughly chop for a more rustic look

Step 2

Preheat a skillet with cooking oil. Add the ingredients you chopped above (if using premade garlic sambal chili, don't add just yet) and kaffir lime leaves and stir fry until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the premade garlic sambal chili (if not using fresh chili) and stir fry for another minute

Step 3

Continue to cook until the mixture is no longer wet and dry

Step 4

Let the sambal balado cool down completely and store in a glass jar container for up to 1 week in the fridge