Chili Garlic Sauce 蒜蓉辣椒醬 - Only the Purest Ingredients for Myself

Even though I've been cutting down the spicy level over the years, my diet is still considered on the fiery side compared to average Taiwanese. Mister at home couldn't take as much heat as I do, so I try not to use too much chilies in my cooking. 

However, my cravings still need to be fulfilled one way or another. If I can't cook overly spicy food, at least I can "supplement" my meal with add-on chili sauce. After a quick search on the market shelf, still unsure about how natural these chili sauce were, especially there're always one or two chemical names that simply spell puzzle to me on the list of ingredients.

Oh heck, might as well do it myself making chili garlic sauce from scratch. Especially if you have a food processor at home, making chili garlic sauce is just like a breeze, but the kind that might make you sneeze with all the freshly chopped chili scent in the kitchen.

Chili garlic sauce 蒜蓉辣椒醬 - 

Ingredients (for a whole jar)?

Main components - 

• 10 long red chilies
• 12 red chilies
• 3 long green chilies
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 small chunk ginger

Seasonings - 

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baijiu (Chinese liquor)

Flavored oil - 

• 1/2 cup light-tasting oil (I used rice bran oil)
• 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn
• 1 small piece dried mandarin peel
• 1 piece bay leaf
• 2 star anise

How?

Try to prepare the chilies the day before by rinsing them and lay under the sun to dry overnight. The alternative, also how I did it is by laying out the chilies on a big towel and set by the window overnight. 

Once the chilies fully dried up, destem all of them. 

Pulse the red chilies first in the food processor then scoop to the storing jar. 

After that, chop the green ones then scoop to the jar.

 

Peel the garlic cloves. Peel and slice the ginger. All them both to the food processor and give it a few pulses too. Scoop to the jar.

Measure 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of baijiu (Chinese liquor) to the jar. Give it a quick mix.

Prepare a small pot or wok, drizzle in 1/2 cup of light-tasting oil. Also add 1/2 teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorn, 1 small piece of dried mandarin peel, 1 bay leaf, and 2 star anises.

Turn to medium heat and cook till these ingredients turn slightly colored. Pick them out and leaving only the now flavored oil. 

While the oil still hot, carefully pour some to the prepared jar of chopped ingredients. It'll start sizzling with bubbles on top. Continue to add more oil till it can cover all the ingredients underneath.

Use a small spoon and mix till evenly blended. Wait till the jar cools down, cover with lid and store in the cabinet away from direct sun-light. 

I supposed you can store the chili garlic sauce in the fridge too, but the oil will start to coagulate once the temperature drops. The overall consistency will be slightly thicker and denser. I usually apply the sauce on hot food though so it doesn't really bother me at all.