Wash and dry all the peppers, tomatoes, and calamansi thoroughly.

If using cayenne peppers, remove the stems and roughly chop them. If using bell peppers, deseed and roughly chop them.

Deseed the bird's eye chilies if you prefer a milder heat and roughly chop them.

Dice the tomatoes into small pieces.

Squeeze the calamansi to extract their juice. Remove any seeds.

In a dry skillet or pan, toast the terasi (dried shrimp paste) over low heat for a few minutes until fragrant. Stir continuously to prevent burning. Once aromatic, remove from heat and set aside to cool.

In a food processor or blender, add the chopped cayenne peppers (or bell peppers) and bird's eye chilies. Pulse or blend until they form a coarse paste.

Add the diced tomatoes to the blended pepper mixture in the food processor or blender.

Break the cooled terasi into smaller pieces and add it to the mixture.

Sprinkle in the sea salt.

Blend or pulse the mixture again until it reaches your desired consistency. Some prefer a smoother paste, while others prefer it slightly chunky.

Taste the sambal and adjust the heat level by adding more bird's eye chilies if desired.

Adjust the seasoning by adding more salt if needed. You can also balance the flavor with a bit more calamansi juice for tanginess.

Transfer the Sambal Terasi Lemon Cui Calamansi to a clean, airtight jar or container.

Refrigerate it for up to a week to allow the flavors to meld and develop further.

Use this flavorful sambal as a condiment or flavor enhancer for various dishes. It pairs well with rice, meats, vegetables, and more, adding a spicy, tangy kick to your meals.