19-07-2025
Tempoyak is so last season
Spicing things up: Ahmad Fauzi whipping up his family's unique recipe of durian sambal by pounding red and green chillies, salt and fresh durian flesh in a pestle and mortar. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
Mealtimes get a kick from grandma's durian sambal
JOHOR BARU: Durian and sambal are popular among Malaysians but durian sambal, anyone?
Former chef Ahmad Fauzi Abd Aziz, 52, has the recipe, whipping up his family's unique durian sambal using red and green chillies, salt and fresh durian flesh.
'The recipe was passed down from my great-grandparents who used to have a durian orchard in Terengganu.
'My great-grandmother would make durian dishes such as dodol and when there was an excess, she got creative and made durian sambal by pounding the ingredients into a paste using a pestle and mortar,' he said in an interview.
Ahmad Fauzi said while many are familiar with dishes like tempoyak (fermented durian), durian sambal was not commercialised.
He said the secret was in using kampung durians instead of 'branded' varieties such as Musang King or D101.
'The kampung durian has a lighter taste and complements chillies well for a more balanced flavour. I do not add belacan to prevent strong flavours from clashing,' added Ahmad Fauzi, who is now a contractor based in Port Dickson.
He said he would buy kampung durians from Negri Sembilan on the way back to Johor Baru if he gets a good price.
'I usually make the sambal in small batches to eat with kampung-style fried fish and ulam – my family looks forward to my return because they are used to the way I make it,' said Ahmad Fauzi, who previously spent years working as a chef serving Japanese, Western and local cuisine.
He said he does not make too much durian sambal in one go because storing it in the fridge for long will result it in fermenting and turning into tempoyak.
