A simple hot sauce that’s full of flavor and will add a kick to whatever dish you decide to eat it with. A must-have if you’re a garlic addict like us, and you can use a less spicy red pepper if you don’t like is so hot. This garlic chili paste is preserved in oil, will last for months. This sauce is also better than Siracha’s chili paste, just saying.
Make the best out of what’s in season right now! (Garlic and chili)
I’ve been meaning to make this recipe since last year, it’s one of my favorite hot sauce. I never got to it last season, so when I saw the Thai chilis and garlic coming out this year, I just had to get them! I made my first batch right before Sean’s family came to visit, they loved it so much they brought the whole batch home with them.
Unlike most Western hot sauce that’s preserved with vinegar, most hot sauce in Taiwan is preserved with oil. Sometimes the acidity in American hot sauce overpowers the flavors of the original food, and hot sauce preserved in oil brings a dish together as one. Think about it, when you’re eating a hotdog, almost all of the condiments are sour- ketchup, mustard, relish… and hot sauce. That’s a lot of acidities, but if you have a bottle of chili oil or chili paste to add to it, wouldn’t that be tastier? Maybe that’s why people are so addicted to Siracha, sweet, spicy, flavorful, perfect balance of flavor.
Chili
Use a sort of red chili. The closest chili I could find here to what we usually use in Taiwan is the Thai red chili. They are really spicy, so if you can find a larger, less spicy red chili, feel free to mix them up to cut the heat! I found these Thai chilis at Rochester Downtown Farmers Market, where the farmers were selling them by the bucket! $4 a bucket.
Chilis can be hard to chop up finely, plus I always forget to wear gloves and then I could “accidentally” touch my face after- not fun. If you have a blender or a food processor, that might be a great alternative to chopping. I use my Vitamix, pulsing and pressing chili down until it’s roughly chopped without any big pieces.
Garlic
I love fresh, juicy garlic. If you’ve never bought garlic from a farmers market you might not have any idea what I’m talking about. I never knew garlic can be that juicy and pungent, and so many varieties to choose from! Pick a garlic you like, smack them down, remove the skins and chop them up. I don’t use a blender for the garlic because I like them a bit more chunky.
What can I eat with the garlic chili paste?
EVERYTHING. Add it to your noodles, dried or soup; add a bit of soy sauce to dip your homemade DUMPLINGS; add to your tacos/steak/vegetables. It’s just delicious.
Ingredients
- 1/3 C Toasted Sesame Oil
- 2 C Chopped Garlic
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2 C Finely Chopped Thai Chili
- 1-1/2 C Vegetable Oil
- 4 TBsp Sugar
- 5 TBsp Soy Sauce
- 2 TBsp Salt
Instructions
- Add 1/3C Toasted sesame oil to a pot(or a wok) and add 2C chopped garlic and bay leaf, turn the heat on medium, fry the garlic until fragrant and slightly golden. Mixing occasionally to prevent garlic from sticking to the bottom.
- Add 2C of finely chopped Thai chili, mix well and add 1-1/2C Vegetable oil. Bring to a simmer, stir constantly.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, and continue to cook for 5 minutes until the oil turns red.
Jarring
- Fill cleaned and sanitized 8oz jelly jars while hot.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the filled jars to the pot, make sure the water is at least a few inches above the jars. Boil for 15 minutes. The jars should vacuum seal themselves within 2 hours when removed from pot and cooled. Keep up to 6 months.
Another Easy, Popular hot sauce recipe:
MALA HOT SAUCE | 秘製淑油麻辣醬
