How to make chili paste (cooking for Men)

An assortment of chiles will create a more complex paste.

Many meals need just a bit of added zing. Having a basic chile paste on hand allows you to spice up a dish without hindering other flavors in it. Or once you have a jar of chile paste, doctor it with other flavors just before you add it to a recipe. Control the heat factor with the type of peppers you use and how many seeds you keep.

Things You'll Need

• 10 Red chiles (such as red jalapenos, thai chiles, habaneros)
• Garlic cloves or minced garlic
• Sugar
• Salt
• Distilled Vinegar
• Mortar and pestle or food processor

Instructions

1. Wash the chiles, then pull or cut the stem off of each chile. Slice the chiles in half, and remove seeds if you want to lessen the spiciness.

2. Put the chiles into the mortar. Mash them with the pestle. This is the hard part and can take some muscle to mash the chiles. Or put the chiles in a food processor and pulse several times until they are mashed.

3. Add one clove of garlic or a 1/2 to 1 tsp of minced garlic.

4. Add a teaspoon or so of sugar. Add a dash of salt. Pour in a teaspoon or two of distilled vinegar. Mix well.

5. Continue mashing or processing the ingredients until the consistency is to your liking.

6. Wash your hands after preparing the chile paste.

Tips & Warnings

• Add other ingredients such as balsamic vinegar, barbecue sauce, mustard powder, paprika or lime juice, depending on what types of meals you like to add chile paste to.

• Add red bell peppers to the mix to keep the chile paste on the milder side.

• Keep your hands away from your eyes. Chile oils tend to cling to skin.

References

• Amazing Ribs: The Zen of Chiles & Peppers
• Chilies Paste Thai Cuisine: Home