Made from dried red chilies, with or without garlic and seasonings, you can indeed adapt as per the heat preference. So, note down the recipe now and make it at home, this is much better than the store-bought For the love of the spicy food and intense flavour, this red chilli paste should be a must have in every pantry. What a beautiful blend of taste and colour it adds to the any dish. Chili garlic paste is a staple spice blend, that is seen in most of the Asian abodes. Be it a Chinese, Korean, Indonesian, Malaysian or spicy Thai preparations, chilli paste makes an integral part to the dish. I am absolutely sure, if you love Asian recipes, then you would be having store-bought chili paste in your pantry. Wouldn’t it be great to make your own chili paste at home, which will be economic too? Of course, it will be 🙂 Most chilli pastes, certainly, are made using dried red chilies while some recipes requires fresh ones too. However, paste made from the fresh red chilies won’t last longer and you may have to finish it in 5-6 days. Whereas, paste made from dried red chilli stays for longer, gives intense flavour and colour.
What is chilli paste?
Chili Paste is a spicy, fiery red condiment made using fresh or dried red chilies. Unlike chili sauce, it is dense in texture with intense taste and colour. Moreover, it may or may not be seasoned with other ingredients like garlic, ginger, vinegar, sesame or any seeds. Particularly, being an essential part of Indo-Asian cuisine, chilli garlic paste over all elevates the essence of any dish.
How can we use red chilli paste?
From soups to noodles, stir fries, fried rice recipesAnd from marinades (to barbecue meats or roast veggies) to curries and stewsAdd it into your favourite dips or sauces for sandwiches and rollsWhisk it into omlettes, savoury pies n tarts, pizzas or pastasWhip it up into salad dressingsKashmiri red chilli paste are mostly added in kababs and Indian curries like tikka masalas, butter chicken, kormas, and kadhai recipes for deep colour.Chili garlic paste that I have made below, can also be eaten as a chutney to momos, pakodas, tikkis, kababs, fritters and so on.
How to store it?
It stays really well for a month under refrigeration and for 5-6 months in freezer. Be sure to store it in a clean air tight container for longer shelf life. Either store it in one single container in refrigerator or alternatively freeze it in an ice tray in portions for individual use.
What chilies are used to make the paste?
By modifying the types of regional chilies based on their hotness, you can go on ahead in making cuisines from any part of the world. For example, Ancho Chile or/and Guajillo variety are used to make Mexican Chili paste. So, paste can be either a combination of different types or just one type of dried chilies. We Indians use various combinations of regional chilies to make the paste. Like here, I have used only Kashmiri chilies to make plain chili paste for curries, tikkas and marinades for kababs or roasts. Furthermore, I have also used the combination of Kashmiri (mild heat) and Bedgi chilies (medium heat) for chilli garlic paste to go in Asian and Indo Chinese Recipes. Sometimes I also use Guntur chilies (Hot) along with Kashmiri ones to make hot chilli paste.
Tip: For mild heat and colour ONLY, do not forget to take out all the seeds from Kashmiri chillies before making a paste. For medium heat, grind them with bedgi variety with seeds.
Let’s head on to see how to make them in two different ways below.
Step by step instructions - 2 ways
Method - 1
Firstly, add Kashmiri chilies in bowl. Then, pour hot water over it and set it side to soak for 30 minutes. (photo 1)Once the chilies are reconstituted well, strain and transfer them into a blender along with 1 teaspoon of vinegar and 2-3 tablespoons of water from the soaked chilies. (photo 2)Blend it into a paste. (photo 3)Heat oil well in a pan. (photo 4)
Then, pour the hot oil over chilli paste and mix well. Finally, transfer in a clean air tight jar or container and refrigerate.
Method - 2
To begin with, first, add Kashmiri and bedgi chilies in a bowl. Then, pour hot water over them and set it aside to soak for 30 minutes. (photo 1 and 2)Once the chillies are reconstituted well, strain and transfer them into a blender along with garlic, 3 tablespoons of rice vinegar. (photo 3)Then, add 3 tablespoons of water from the soaked chilies. Blend to a smooth paste. (photo 4)Heat oil well in a pan and then add the blended paste into it. (photo 5)Add sugar, salt and mix. Cook for 5-6 minutes low heat until fragrant, stir in between. Take it off the heat and cool completely. (photo 6)Finally, transfer the chili garlic paste in a clean air tight jar or container and refrigerate.
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