Thai Chili Sauce | What Smells So Good?
I don't know about you, but this winter has been nothing short of a long exercise in patience. According to the local news, we've had 88 consecutive days of 1"+ deep snow, and with the biting cold it's not hard to understand why so many people are jetting to nice tropical climes!
Well, I can't afford to take myself to the warm, humid (39°C people!) Thailand (it's on my bucket list), I can travel vicariously through others... with the help of my stomach! I'm a huge Thai chili sauce fan, and the ingredients are so simple I can't believe I didn't make my own earlier! I made and canned my first batch over the Summer with our homegrown chiles, cilantro, tomatoes, green onion and garlic, but it's long gone and those crops are nowhere in sight! Luckily, our local Asian market (and even our grocery store) has everything necessary to cook up another batch of the wicked condiment.
What I like best about a really great Thai chili sauce is that it's not simply a smash-over-the-head heat. It should have an undercurrent of true umami, which the fish sauce in my recipe adds. If you're vegetarian / vegan, I would definitely suggest using something like Braggs or vegetarian oyster sauce - not the same but still yummy!
Place all the ingredients into a food processor and puree smooth.
Pour into a pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes (until reduced to 2 cups).
Can in a waterbath for 15 minutes.