Homemade Asian Red Chili Paste is much more economical and tastier than store-bought ones. Make it using simple ingredients in just a few minutes and refrigerate for up to 15 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

I am sharing the recipe for making simple red chili paste and chili paste with seasoning. Choose the one that you like better.

Here are a few more homemade paste recipes useful for everyday cooking – Ginger Paste, Tahini Paste, Golden Paste, and Thai Green Curry Paste.

About Red Chili Paste

Asian Red Chili Paste is a condiment made using dried red chilies. This spicy, red, and fiery paste is used a lot in Asian recipes and is a must-have ingredient in my pantry.

Whether Chinese, Thai, Malaysian, Vietnamese, or Korean cuisine, this simple paste is integral to the recipes. It gives a spicy kick and a depth of flavor to any dish it is added to and elevates its flavor to the next level.

Although it is very easily available in the market, making it at home is always a good idea. Homemade chilli paste is made using high-quality ingredients; it is free of any preservatives and artificial colors and is much more economical than the store-bought tub.

You can make this paste in 2 ways

1. Plain with only dried red chilies
2. With seasonings

I am sharing both versions in the post below.

There are some other varieties of chili pastes used in Asian cooking. One is Malaysian Sambal Oelek and the other is Korean Gochujang. You can check the recipe to make Sambal Oelek here and Gochujang here.

Ingredients & Variations

Chilies – You can use any Asian dried red chilies to make this paste. I used dried Szechuan chilies, which I ordered from Amazon.

Indian chilies like Kashmiri or Bydegi also work great.

Use Ancho, Guajillo, or Arbol Chilies to give this paste a Mexican twist. They are slightly smoky and add a beautiful depth to the paste.

The hotness of this paste depends on the quality of chilies used. Use hot chilies to make a hot paste and mild ones for a milder taste. Its color also depends on the variety of chili used.

You can also use a mix of chilies. I sometimes make it with a combination of Kashmiri and Bydegi chilies. Kashmiri chilies give this paste a lovely color, and the Bydegi chilies give it heat.

Tip – Remove the seeds from the chilies for a milder taste.

Oil – Use canola oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, or sesame oil.

Others – You can flavor the chilli paste a little more by adding garlic cloves, shallots, ginger, white vinegar, salt, sugar, ground cumin, black pepper, ground cayenne pepper, or even smoked paprika.

You can also add ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum to the recipe to stabilize the paste’s texture. Xanthan gum is easily available in supermarkets and is a natural ingredient with no side effects.

Add a teaspoon of dark soy sauce for an umami kick.

You can add some red pepper flakes or chili powder for extra heat.

How To Make Asian Red Chili Paste

Preparation

Transfer 2 oz (50 g) dried red chilies (stalks removed) to a large mixing bowl.

Pour 3 cups of boiling water over the chilies and let them soak for 25-30 minutes. Keep a heavy ladle or something heavy over the chilies to prevent them from floating on top of the water.

Blend The Chilies

Drain the water and add the soaked chilies to a blender or a food processor along with ¼ cup water.

Blend to make a smooth thick paste. Scrape the sides of the blender a few times while blending.

Note – I use a high-speed blender to blend the chilies. The seeds also get blended well in it. But if your blender is not powerful enough, try to remove as many seeds from the chilies before blending, or a few seeds in the paste are also fine.

Make Plain Chilli Paste

Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chilli paste to the pan and saute for 3-4 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat and let the paste cool completely. Transfer it to a clean jar, secure it with a tight lid, and refrigerate for up to 15 days. Use as desired!

Make Chilli Paste With Seasonings

Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium heat.

Once the oil is hot, add 2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic and 2 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, and saute for 30-40 seconds.

Add

• chilli paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Cool and store.

Frequently Asked Questions

Usage Suggestions

This spicy chili paste is so versatile that you can spice up any dish, be it Asian, Indian, or Mexican!

Add it to your curries, stir-fried vegetables, fried rice, noodles, soups, salads, dim sum filling, etc.

You can mix it with Greek yogurt and serve it as a dip or as a marinade for vegetables, meats, or seafood recipes.

Add a nice spicy kick to your nachos, pasta, pizza, savory tarts, and pies with this versatile paste.

You can also mix a bit with eggs and make omelets or scrambled eggs.

Add it to your burgers, sandwiches, rolls, and wraps.

You can also use it to make hot sauce and

Storage Suggestions

Homemade chilli paste will last in the fridge for 15 to 20 days when stored in an air-tight container.

For increased shelf life, freeze it in a freezer-safe container for about 6 months.

You can freeze the paste in an ice cube tray and then transfer the cubes to a ziplock bag. This way, you can thaw only the amount you want to use. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and it will be ready to use.

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