Chili Sauce

CHILI SAUCE

Chili Sauce or Hot Sauce is used all over the world as a condiment to spice up meals. There are hundreds of brands of chili sauce but I think there is nothing more satisfying than a homemade chili sauce made to your personal taste.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 dried red chilies
• 1 large garlic clove
• 2 crushed cloves
• 2 black ground pepper
• ½ tsp salt to taste
• 1 tbsp Olive oil

Method:
1. Working on one chili at a time, use a knife to cut a slit all the way down one side of a chili. Open up the chili and remove the stem and seeds. Remove as much of the veins as you can. Reserve a few of the seeds or veins for adding later if you want added heat.

2. Heat a pan on medium heat. Flatten out the dried chilies and place on the pan to heat. Press down on the opened chilies and leave for a few seconds. Turn the chilies over and heat a few seconds more. We do not want to toast or burn the chilies, just heat them enough to draw out more of the flavor.
3. Add the chilies to a small saucepan and add enough water so that they are just covered. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes, until the chilies have softened and plumped up.
[OR] Place the chilies in a small saucepan and pour boiling water over them to cover. Let sit for 15 minutes, until softened.
4. Reserving the soaking water, remove the chilies from the pan and place in a blender. Add the garlic, salt, ground pepper, ground cloves, and 1 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid (taste the soaking water first, if it seems bitter, use water instead).
5. Puree for 2 minutes, until the sauce is completely smooth. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. If you want more heat, add in a few of the seeds or veins and purée some more. Add more salt if needed.
6. Take a pan and heat olive oil in it. Add the sauce into a pan. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to maintain the simmer, cook for 10 minutes. Skim off the foam.

7. Remove from heat. Use immediately or pour into a glass jar and refrigerate.