Remove the heads and intestines of the ikan bilis - these parts will make the ikan bilis bitter so it's best to remove them. You can get cleaned ikan bilis from the market too to save you some time.
Fry the ikan bilis in a little oil until they are golden and crispy. Alternatively, you can bake or air-fry at 190C until they are crispy.
In a non-stick pan, cook onion, sambal chilli (the chilli is oily so no additional oil is needed) and a little o until onion is softened. Add in the ikan bilis and coat the ikan bilis thoroughly with the chilli. Add more sambal or sugar if needed. Remove from heat and let cool. The ikan bilis is now ready for assembly.
NOTES
- If you don't like/need your ikan bilis to be crispy, you can just stir-fry everything together in the pan.- The ikan bilis can be made a day ahead. Let cool, cover and refrigerate. The next day, spread the ikan bilis on a tray and bake in the oven at 175C until heated through and crisp again.- We used Taho's brand Sambal Belachan (red cap).