A married couple in the town of Misato, Shimane has developed Misato Sambal, an Indonesian chili paste used to add spice to many different foods.

Mr and Mrs Tanaka lived in Bali, Indonesia for many years. They now work in Misato, Shimane as part of the Local Vitalization Cooperator program, where they decided to create their own sambal for Japanese consumption.

Misato Sambal is a spicy paste containing chili, garlic, tomato, lemongrass, and other ingredients. The paste can be eaten with rice, fish, and other dishes. The Tanakas used a recipe and help from the Indonesian village of Mas, where they lived for over a decade. Mas and the town of Misato have an official friendship agreement, similar to a sister-city relationship.

Two versions of sambal are available: the regular red version, and the spicier black version.

Mr Tanaka worked with local people in Japan, and a coordinator in Indonesia, to develop the product. The Indonesian ladies who helped were happy with the recipe, which they described as authentically delicious and adjusted for the Japanese threshold for spiciness.

Japan has seen an increase in “spicy hot” foods during the Covid pandemic. Spicy fried chicken and spicy ramen noodles with large amounts of spicy red chili pepper powder are some examples of the geki kara (super spicy) trend that has hit Japan.

Misato Sambal can be purchased locally in Misato or online. For more information, please visit the official website (link here).

You can also obtain the paste by making a tax donation to the town of Misato, which is distributing the jars of Sambal as a thank-you through the Furusato Nouzei program.

Sources: Misato Sambal, Furusato Choice, KNG.

*Interviews and quotes translated freely from Japanese into English.