September 11th, 2023

Have you seen me?

This is one of my favorite condiments, and I can't find it ANYWHERE. Apparently the chili growers in Mexico had a bad season or something, but the bottom line is this product has all but disappeared. 

However, I found a copycat recipe and tried it out yesterday, and it's legit. The only thing I'd change is using 3x the amount of garlic. 

Copycat Chili Garlic Sauce (origin unknown)

• 1 pound of red chili peppers
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic (I recommend more)
• 1 tbsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 tsp lime juice

Remove the stems from the peppers and throw everything into a food processor or blender. Blend till it's the consistency of applesauce, or however you like. Put it in a jar and keep it refrigerated. Warning: it is incredibly pungent at the moment of blending and you might cough a bit when the lid comes off. 

Which chili peppers you should use depends on how hot you like it. In order of heat, from mild to hot:

1. Ripe red Jalapenos
2. Serrano
3. Cayenne
4. Thai chili peppers

For my first try, I used red jalapenos (which are pretty mild) and gave it some extra kick with a few dried Japanese chilis. I recommend starting with just the red jalapenos, then taste and see if you need more heat.