Great food is one of the cornerstones of our onboard experience. But, of all the items on the menu, one dish that generates the most recipe requests, even demands for a specially bottled Rascal range, is our famously fiery sambal.

This traditional, chili-based condiment is ubiquitous across the 17,000+ islands of Indonesia where it is regularly served at every meal. “Eating sambal is a daily ritual, as important as going to temple and making offerings; it’s deeply rooted in our culture,” says Rascal’s executive chef Ega. “It’s also one of the highlights of a voyage for our guests. Without exception, they go wild for it.”

There are hundreds of different varieties of sambal found across the island nation, but Chef Ega has whittled that number down to five to serve onboard: embe and matah from Bali; ulek from Java; colo-colo from Papua; and ijo from Sumatra. “They’re the perfect mix of cooked and raw; they showcase some of the country’s finest ingredients - including galangal, kaffir limes and lemongrass; and they go with everything from grilled fish to nasi goreng and scrambled eggs on toast.”

Chef Ega utilises recipes handed down by his 75-year-old grandmother, Nyoman Harum, who imbued in him a love of cooking from a young age. He says it gives him great pleasure to share these tastes and memories from his childhood on the menu, and he also relishes the opportunity to teach guests about the country’s history and culinary traditions at the same time.

“’Sambal’ is a Javanese word that dates back to the 10^th century,” says Chef Ega. “So, guests get to enjoy one of our most ancient dishes.” He explains that the key ingredient: chili pepper, is not native to Indonesia, but was brought from the Americas in the 15^th century by Portuguese traders who were seeking to monopolise sources of nutmeg in the Spice Islands, an event which kick-started European colonisation.

“So, just one small teaspoonful of sambal is not only packed with flavour, it’s an insight into our rich past and who we are. In many ways you could say it’s the essence of Indonesia."