Red Chilli Paste Recipe – a very handy basic recipe
This homemade red chilli paste is a very handy basic to have in your fridge. It is a staple in South East Asian kitchens and is used in so many different ways: as a condiment, a marinade and an all purpose cooking ingredient.Updated May 2023
125ml(½ cup) vegetable oil for frying¼ cup for the quick chilli paste
Instructions
Chilli Paste 1 (5 minutes)
If you are using fresh chillies, go straight to step 3.
Put half a kettle on and then start by cutting the red chillies in 2-3 pieces with a pair of kitchen scissors, depending on the size of the chillies.
Pour your just off the boil water onto the cut chillies, cover, and soak for 20 minutes.At the end of 20 minutes, drain the chillies, giving them a quick rinse and shake to lose the seeds, if you like.You could also save the soaking liquid to use to blend the chilli paste, but I prefer to use fresh water.
Place the chillies, onion and garlic in a chopper and add enough water to allow you to blend to a paste.As you'll be frying the paste in oil, you don't want it to be too runny.
Heat only about 60ml/ ¼ cup oil in a deep wok or saucepan, then add the ground ingredients, the salt and the sugar. Fry on medium heat for 5 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally. It's done.
Let cool, then store for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Chilli Paste 2 (1 hour 3 minutes)
If you are using fresh chillies, go straight to step 3.
Put half a kettle on with about 500 ml (2 cups water) and then start by cutting the red chillies in 2-3 pieces with a pair of kitchen scissors, depending on the size of the chillies.
Pour your just off the boil water onto the cut chillies, cover, and soak for 20 minutes.At the end of 20 minutes, drain the chillies, giving them a quick rinse and shake to lose the seeds, if you like.You could also save the soaking liquid to use to blend the chilli paste, but I prefer to use fresh water.
In the meantime, peel and quarter the onions, and peel the garlic.
Drain the chillies and place everything apart from the oil, in a blender. Add enough water to allow you to blend to a paste.As you'll be frying the paste in oil, you don't want it to be too runny.However, the long and slow cooking means that you may have to add a splash of water towards the end if it gets too dry.
Heat the oil in a deep wok or saucepan, then fry the chilli paste on medium heat initially for about 3 minutes until fragrant.
Lower the heat and cook for an hour, uncovered, stirring every 15 minutes or so. In the last 15 minutes, you might have to stir a couple of times more, as the chilli paste starts to dry up.If it starts getting too dry and is catching (burning) at the bottom, add a splash of water (about 60 ml/¼ cup) to allow you to keep cooking the paste for the full hour. Use less if you only have 10 minutes or so to go.
Let your cooked red chilli paste cool to room temperature and store in a clean jar in the fridge; it will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge. You can even freeze until needed, in ice cube trays would be perfect, as you can use a little at a time as needed.
Use this red chilli paste to make Sambal Hae Bee on my other blog, Singaporean and Malaysian Recipes.
Time and portions given here are for Chilli Paste 1. The prep time of 25 minutes includes the soaking time. If you cook your chilli paste in a wok, as I sometimes do, you'll probably need more water, given the wide, shallower and open nature of your wok.