Many cultures (Louisiana, Thai, Hunan, Korea, Indonesia, Portugal) make a fermented chilli sauce. This is my goto recipe and there's always a jar of this in the fridge. I'm not into fuzzy things like straining it after fermenting preferring the chunky taste surprise. I don't add extra flavorings like ginger or lemon grass as the plain version is more versatile. The fresh red pepper makes sure there are some wild lacto bugs to start the ferment and reduces the heat a little. Feel free to increase the mild pepper to chilli ratio for a milder sauce.
Lots of fermenting books and sites suggest you need a special type of salt. I use the table salt I have in the cupboard which is iodized sea salt.
This chili sauce is addictive, before you know it you'll be eating it on toast for breakfast or adding it to chocolate fudge. The fermenting process takes some of the hard edge of the chilli flavor while losing none of the heat. I also reckon it reduces after burn.
Fermented Chilli and Garlic sauce
Makes 1 300 ml jar
200 g frozen red chillies
3 cloves garlic
1 large red mild pepper chopped stem removed
2 t salt
Blend everything and scoop into a clean jar.
Cover the jar with a clean cloth and and hold in place with a rubber band. Leave to ferment in a warm place (20 °C to 30 °C) for at least a week (up to three weeks) - stirring every day - the mixture should bubble.
When done stir in 1.5 T of vinegar and keep in fridge. Stir each time you use it. It should last several months.
Recipes that use this: (links added as I write them)
- Chilli Chocolate Fudge
- Chicken Liver Pate