Place chopped red chilies, bird's eye chilies, shallots, garlic, ginger, palm sugar, shrimp paste (or fish sauce) in a small food processor or mortar and pestle. Pulse or pound until you have a coarse paste — some texture is good. Add lime juice and tamari/soy and pulse once to combine.

Pan-fry the sambal

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sambal paste and fry, stirring frequently, for 3–5 minutes until fragrant and the oil separates slightly from the paste. Taste and adjust: add a little more palm sugar if too acidic, or a squeeze of lime if it needs brightness. Remove from heat and set aside.

Wok-tossed spinach

Prep spinach and aromatics

Wash spinach thoroughly, spin or pat dry. If using large spinach, trim thick stems and roughly chop leaves. Thinly slice 1 shallot and 2 garlic cloves.

Heat the wok

Place a wok or large skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil and swirl to coat.

Aromatics in wok

Add sliced shallot and garlic to the hot oil and stir-fry for 20–30 seconds until fragrant and just starting to soften (do not burn).

Add sambal to wok

Reduce heat to medium-high. Add 2–3 tablespoons of the prepared sambal paste to the wok (use less for milder spice). Stir and cook with aromatics for 30–45 seconds to marry flavors.

Toss spinach

Add the spinach in batches, tossing quickly with tongs or a spatula so each addition wilts slightly before adding more. This should take about 1–2 minutes total — the spinach should be bright green and just wilted.

Season and finish

Drizzle 1 teaspoon light soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil over the spinach. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste). Toss carefully to combine and heat through for another 15–30 seconds.

Serve

Transfer the sambal spinach to a serving plate. Spoon any remaining sambal from the skillet over the top for extra flavor. Garnish with crispy fried shallots or roasted peanuts and serve with lime wedges alongside.