Traditional Dish Sambal Pliek U

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This dish may not be as popular in other parts of Indonesia as it is in Aceh. Pliek U (patarana) isn’t the first dish I’ve made here; I’ve already prepared many dishes using this ingredient. Pliek u itself comes from a main ingredient: fermented, rotted coconut, which produces patarana—a sour substance with a distinctive aroma. In addition to producing pliek u, this fermentation process also yields coconut oil, which is commonly used for medicinal purposes or as cooking oil. After the oil is extracted, the residue from the oil—once fermented and sun-dried—becomes pliek u (patarana).

Pliek u isn’t just used in soups—in Acehnese communities like ours, we also use it as a fruit salad dressing or to make a delicious spicy onion sambal. There are so many ways to prepare dishes with it, and I think that’s what makes it so unique.

Pliek u sambal is a traditional dish from Pidie, a region in Aceh where my parents were born. I was introduced to this dish by my late father, who absolutely loved it because it’s just that delicious. However, after my father passed away, this dish fell out of favor because it was rarely cooked. So, I decided to try making it for my husband. He’s never tried it before—I hope he likes it.

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Ingredients

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50 grams of dried pliek u
10 bird’s eye chilies
5 cloves of shallots
5 kaffir lime leaves
2 lemongrass stalks
½ teaspoon of salt

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Preparation

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First, dry-roast the pliek u until dry to bring out its aroma.

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Next, chop the chilies and lemongrass, then coarsely pound them by hand for a more flavorful result.

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Once smooth, add the pliek u and pound again until well combined.

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Chop the kaffir lime leaves and shallots, then pound them again while stirring. I like to add a little mushroom broth to make it even more savory.

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Serving Suggestions

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Serve it on a plate, and it’s ready to enjoy with hot, fluffy rice, fried tempeh, and boiled vegetables. That’s the main combination for this dish. It’s truly that delicious—you should try it right away; I’m sure it will appeal to anyone who loves spicy food.

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It’s incredibly savory, spicy, and tangy—the perfect flavor profile for this dish. I really enjoyed it; when else can you enjoy such a simple dish with such an extraordinary flavor, in my opinion? So, for those of you who’ve never tried a dish like this, if you ever visit Aceh, Indonesia, you absolutely must try this one.

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