Western Tourist Tries 13 Types of Malaysian Sambal, Picks Sambal Kicap As Her Favourite
Western Tourist Tries 13 Types of Malaysian Sambal
Malaysia’s love affair with sambal — spicy, tangy, and full of character — has found its newest ambassador in an unexpected guest: a Western tourist named Rodica.
In a video that has now gone viral on Malaysian social media, Rodica visited Nasi Ulam Ikan Sumbat, a restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, and boldly tried 13 different types of sambal in one sitting. Known for her adventurous palate, Rodica had previously gained attention online for her enthusiastic reactions to local dishes — and this spicy challenge only reinforced her growing popularity.
The restaurant thoughtfully labeled each sambal with a number and provided a written list for Rodica to identify each one as she tasted them with rice, chicken, beef, and egg dishes.
She started with a green sambal, describing it as “not too spicy” and “really tasty.” Then she sampled sambal kelapa, a grated coconut variety, admitting with a laugh that she wasn’t sure if she was eating it the right way — but enjoyed the tropical kick.
Rodica also tried sambal bilis (anchovy sambal) paired with egg, before diving into more intense flavours like sambal cencalok and budu sambal, which she found “salty and spicy.”
One of the most unusual flavours she encountered was something many Malaysians themselves found odd — sambal Sunquick, inspired by the popular orange cordial drink. Reactions online ranged from curiosity to disbelief, with some locals saying they’d never even heard of it.
Among the other sambals she sampled were:
- Sambal belacan
- Sambal merah
- Sambal limau
- Sambal tempoyak (fermented durian sambal)
- Sambal kicap
- Sambal matah (a raw Balinese-style sambal)
- Sambal mangga (green mango sambal)
While sambal matah left her throat burning, she managed the heat by sipping kefir milk — a yogurt-like drink — between bites.
In the end, Rodica named her favourites: sambal kicap, sambal merah, sambal hijau, sambal mangga, and sambal kelapa. The only one she disliked was sambal tempoyak due to her aversion to durian.
Online, Malaysians reacted with admiration and encouragement — especially those from spicy-loving regions like Negeri Sembilan.
“Respect! Even locals wouldn’t dare try that many at once!” one user commented.
Many urged her to continue her sambal journey by trying more regional specialties like sambal petai, sambal belimbing hitam, and herb-based sambals with ulam.
Rodica’s video not only showcased the rich diversity of Malaysia’s sambal culture, but also reminded us that sometimes, it takes a brave outsider to fully appreciate what we often take for granted.
Source : Tiktok
@theforeignsun 13 Malaysian sambals from @Nasi Ulam Ikan Sumbat 🌶️ #malaysia #sambal #food #MalaysianFood #kualalumpur #taste #explore #restaurant #authentic #tastetest #foodreview
♬ original sound - Rodica | Travel | English 📚✈️
By Tarziman — 12 JUNE 2025, 02:11 PM
