Roasted Red Chili Garlic Paste
This is one of those condiments that we feel is a culinary essential to have on hand. Roasting of the garlic and the peppers with sesame oil adds a deep rich flavor not found in most commercial versions. The fish sauce while optional also adds depth, please don’t skimp on this. Use in stir fries, curries, soups , beans, pastas, or in any dish that would require a complex deep hot flavor. Roasted chili garlic paste will soon become your go-to for adding heat to any dish.
You can adjust the heat to your liking as with most of our recipes. Use only Frenso or red jalapenos mixed with red bell pepper for a milder version. Up the heat by adding more Thai chilies for a more scorching heat. Our recipe below strikes the perfect balance between flavor and heat.
We will be using this in several of our upcoming recipes so if you are following us, therefore it would be good to have on hand. Refrigerated it will get deeper in flavor with age.
Roasted Red Chili and Garlic Paste
Ingredients
- 15 Fresno Chilies approx/ 1/2 lb
- 1 1/2 Garlic heads
- 3 shallots chopped
- 5 - 8 Thai Chilies fresh or dried (optional) depending on desired heat level
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp palm sugar or dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (optional)
- 1 tbsp sea salt ***If using fish sauce reduce salt to 1/2 tbsp
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° Halve Frenso chilies and deseed, separate garlic cloves from head and remove skin (see Pro Tip below). Coat garlic and chilies liberally with 1 1/2 tbsp. of the sesame oil.
- On the same foil lined sheet pan add the garlic and peppers keeping them separate (as garlic will cook much faster). Place pan in oven check every few minutes once garlic starts to brown on the edges (approx. 15 minutes) remove from oven and reserve. return peppers to the oven for another 15 minutes until soft.
- Add roasted garlic and peppers, shallots, the remaining sesame oil as well as the rest of the ingredients into a food processor and pulse to a fine paste (should still be slightly chunky). Transfer paste into a sauce pan and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Place hot paste into a clean, sterilized jar. Allow paste to sit for a minimum 2 hours for the full flavor to develop.
Notes
NOTES:
- If using dried Thai chilies, remove stems and seeds, rehydrate chilies by dry roasting in a pan for 1 to 2 minutes. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with hot water for 20 - 30 minutes.
- For a smoother paste, once cooked add paste to blender and blend to desired consistency.
- TIP: For an easy way to remove and skin garlic cloves from the head, cut the top off the head just enough to expose the top of the cloves. Place entire head root side down into a microwave, heat on high for 20 seconds. Garlic cloves should easily separate from the head leaving the skin behind.
