Homemade Red Chili Paste

Make this homemade Asian red chili paste using just 2 ingredients in few minutes. It is economical, lasts for about 15 days and is much better than the store-bought one.

Here are a few more homemade paste recipes that will come in handy while cooking your everyday meals – Tahini Paste, Golden Paste, and Thai Green Curry Paste.

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• About This Recipe
• Ingredients
• How To Make Red Chili Paste
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Usage Suggestions
• Storage Suggestions
• You Might Also Like
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About This Recipe

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 it is one of the must-have ingredients in my pantry.

Be it Chinese, Thai, Malaysian, Vietnamese, or Korean cuisine, this simple paste is an integral part of 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 also much economical.

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.

Ingredients

Chilies – You can use any dried red chilies to make this paste. I used Szechuan dried chilies which I ordered from Amazon. To give this paste a Mexican twist, use Ancho, Guajillo, or Arbol Chilies. They are slightly smoky and adds a beautiful depth to the paste.

Indian chilies like Kashmiri or Bydegi also work great.

The hotness of this paste depends on the quality of chilies used. Use spicy chilies if you want to make a hot paste and use 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 the heat.

Tip – Remove the seeds from the chilies for a milder chili paste.

Oil – Use any vegetable oil or sesame oil.

Others – You can flavor the chilli paste a little bit more by adding more ingredients such as fresh garlic cloves, shallots, fresh ginger, white vinegar, salt, sugar, ground cumin, or even smoked paprika.

How To Make Red Chili Paste

Preparation

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

Pour 3 cups of boiling hot water over the chilies and let them soak for 25-30 minutes. Keep a heavy ladle or something heavy over teh 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 along with ¼ cup water.

Blend until smooth.

Make Simple Chili Paste

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

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

Make Chili Paste With Seasonings

Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add 2 tsp finely chopped garlic, 2 tsp finely chopped ginger, and saute for 30-40 seconds.

Add the chili paste, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tbsp white vinegar. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Cool and store.

Frequently Asked Questions

Usage Suggestions

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

Try adding it to your curries, stir fry vegetables, fried rice, noodles, soups, salads, dim sums filling, etc.

You can mix it with Greek yogurt and serve it as a dip or use it 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 chili paste.

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

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

Storage Suggestions

Homemade chilli paste will last in the fridge for about 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 the form of ice cubes 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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