Sambal Goreng Kentang - Roast Potatoes in Spicy Chili Sauce

Using my homemade sambal goreng (fried chili paste), I can prepare this lovely and delicious sambal goreng kentang, roast potatoes in spicy chili sauce, with nothing but salt, pepper, olive oil, and sambal goreng. Once you give these spicy roast potatoes a try, I am sure you will want to make this all the time. They are so good and super addictive.

What do I need to prepare Indonesian sambal goreng kentang?

First, you will need to prepare a batch of homemade sambal goreng using my previous post. Then, you will need to roast a batch of potatoes using super simple ingredients:

• potatoes, I use russet, but any potatoes suitable for baking is okay
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper

How do I roast potatoes?

1. Peel the potatoes. I peel my potatoes, but you can roast potatoes with skin on too if you wish. It will actually look more rustic that way. :)
2. Season the potatoes. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cut potatoes into cubes/wedges, about 2", and gently toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Arrange the potatoes. Transfer potatoes to a baking sheet, for 500 gram (1 lb.), a quarter sheet is enough. If you do a double batch and prepare 1 kilogram (2 lb.), a half-sheet pan is better.
4. Roast the potatoes. Roast potatoes in a preheated oven of 200 Celsius (400 Fahrenheit) for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. I turn the potatoes about 2 times during roasting so they are evenly roasted.

I don’t have an oven, can I still make this dish?

Yes, you can. Most Indonesians actually prepare the potatoes by deep-frying instead of roasting. So if you are not averse to deep-frying, simply heat a pot of hot oil in a pot and deep fry potato cubes/wedges until golden brown and set aside. You should also be able to fry potatoes in an air-fryer too if you own one.

How do I cook sambal goreng kentang?

Once we have a batch of roasted/deep-fried/air-fried potatoes, we are ready to make our sambal goreng kentang. For 500 gram (1 lb.) of potatoes, do the following:

1. Heat 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of homemade sambal goreng in a wok/frying pan until bubbles.
2. Add roasted/fried potatoes into the wok/pan, gently toss until evenly coated. Turn off the heat, transfer to a serving platter, and serve immediately.

Super easy and simple, right? If you wish, you can garnish the sambal goreng kentang with some thin slivers of kaffir lime leaves too. The fresh green leaves add a wonderful pop of color to the orange/red of the spicy potatoes.

What other dishes can I make with the handy sambal goreng?

If you love these spicy roast potatoes, you may want to use the same homemade sambal goreng to prepare these dishes:

• sambal goreng telur
• sambal goreng ikan

And feel free to experiment making your own sambal goreng dishes too. Just remember that you will need 1/4 cup of homemade sambal goreng for every 500 gram (1 lb.) of your choice protein/vegetables.