eG Cook-Off #84: Ginger

[MokaPot]

@KennethT Can you say how you make your Hainanese ginger chili sauce? (I'm hoping it's not too complicated.) TIA.

[KennethT]

13 hours ago, MokaPot said:

@KennethT Can you say how you make your Hainanese ginger chili sauce? (I'm hoping it's not too complicated.) TIA.

I make it 2 different ways, depending on how much time I have.  The fast way is not nearly as good, but it's much quicker and easier.

For the fast way, I just combine a few tablespoons of bottle chili paste - like a sambal oelek, with a few cloves of garlic and a shallot that have been pounded into a paste.  To that, I'll add a few tablespoons of the chicken rice poaching liquid (basically a strong chicken stock with ginger, garlic and green onion), a touch of lime juice if needed, and then a small amount of roasted sesame oil.  Of course, salt/sugar to taste.  Just before serving I'll grate a few inches of ginger into the sauce, and add sweet soy sauce to taste.  Some people like to drizzle the sweet soy sauce over the dish, but I prefer it mixed in with the chili sauce.

 

The long way is similar, but rather than using a bottled chili paste, I'll put a bunch (maybe 6-10 depending on size) of red spur chilis, the garlic, shallot, poaching liquid and sesame oil in the blender and blend until smooth.  Then continue as normal - it's longer because of the blending and cleanup of the blender, but I like it better because it has good chili flavor without being as spicy as the bottled chili paste can make it.

[MokaPot]

Thank you so much, @KennethT . I have some sambal oelek in my fridge and should use it more often. Sounds do-able.