Kickstarter Chilli Paste
With its heady mix of chillies, garlic and ginger, this spicy brew transforms any stew, sauce or stir-fry. It's great in my Tender Lamb and Chickpea Tagine. It can be made with fresh or frozen chillies. Frozen chillies pack the same punch as fresh and, used straight from the freezer, are easier to grate or dice.
- Prep time:
- 10 mins
- Cook time:
- 15 mins
- Makes:
- 1 cup
- 8 fresh or frozen long red chillies, coarsely chopped
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh ginger
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- finely grated zest of 2 lemons or limes
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- ground black pepper, to taste
Purée chillies, garlic, ginger and oil to a paste in a food processor or mortar and pestle. Heat a heavy-based frypan or pot over medium heat. Add chilli paste and lemon or lime zest and cook, stirring now and then, until it starts to smell aromatic (about 5 minutes). Add water and sugar and cook until it starts to stick and become pasty in texture and the oil has risen to the top (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir through soy sauce, salt and pepper. Allow to cool. If not using at once, store in a jar in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Tips
Some chillies are hotter than others so when adding them to a recipe taste a little first and adjust the quantities to suit.
This recipe is from my book The Free Range Cook: Through the Seasons
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