It is an ongoing joke in my family how out of control my father can be when it comes to picking up unusual items at the Asian market (oddly-flavored drinks, chips, crackers, condiments). Where my mother will come home bearing only the items she put on her list when shopping alone, excursions with my father are altogether different. While she goes about picking up the staples, he will visit each aisle looking for new-to-him items that he just has to try. My mother indulges and so their pantry overflows with foods that are seldom, if ever, eaten. When my sisters and other family come to visit my father will remember those forgotten must-have items and display them on the counter expecting us to snap them up. The little ones don’t even wait for him to do this; they know where papa keeps the goodies. Admittedly, some of them end up being winners, but most of the time my mother, my sisters and I only look at each other as if to say, “What in the world made him buy that?”
When my parents moved to their new home few months ago, my youngest sister and I were tasked with the clean-out of the old pantry. While my father busied himself in the garage, instead of packing them up in boxes, we made a joint decision to dump in the trash 90% of his goods, my sister and I looking over our shoulders the entire time afraid that we’d be caught in the act. It’s not as if he would have ever noticed (we did fess up later that day).
I really shouldn’t make fun of my father so much. I’ve recently taken inventory my own pantry and discovered that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. My weakness? Chili sauce. I’m always on the lookout for the next best chili sauce with the right amount of heat and flavor. My go-to for cooking is this sambal oelek that I’ve mentioned here several times. The tabletop condiment that would be the finishing touch to my Asian dishes at home has proven more elusive.
In the end, I never found it at my Asian market; I discovered it at my local Chinese restaurant instead. A humble place, Fortune Restaurant is run by a husband and wife team. Downtown Redwood City has seen a revival of sorts over the last several years, trendy restaurants popping up one after another. Older establishments have closed their doors unable to compete with the new but although I’ve never seen Fortune filled to capacity, it has stood at the same spot for 2o years. They offer Chinese dishes that cater to the American palate but over the years I’ve learned to ask for off-the-menu, authentic Chinese dishes. Whichever style you prefer, the dishes are always prepared simply, without the cloyingly sweet sauces and certainly no grease.
This is the chili sauce that is a fixture on their tables and frankly, it is what has kept me going back. The owners know how much I like it and they’ve been generous to send me home with a container of it in the past. They make it on the premises and when I asked Elaine once how to prepare it, she said, “I don’t cook, my husband makes it, but it’s easy.” Then she went on to describe that he simply cooks the dried chilies in oil and that’s it.
Surely it was more involved than that. I’ve tried the method she’d described in years past but I remember that batch not exciting me at all. There’s got to be more to their sauce that has such depth without overpowering the dishes it’s drizzled on. Garlic, lots of salt even? I wasn’t going to make a pest of myself in case the recipe was a closely-guarded secret. But she did the most wonderful thing recently.
It had been a few months since our last visit and when my husband and I walked in the door that day, Elaine, always with a smile, guided us to our table and excitedly handed to me her iPad, directing me to play a video. As she greeted the other newcomers and took orders from others, I watched the video of her husband preparing a large batch of their chili sauce…and this revealed the key—they add hot bean paste to the chilies.
This was the version I came up with considering I had no verbal instructions for cook time, specific brands to use and quantity of ingredients (he made enough to last a normal household a few years!). I took notes on my phone–there were only a few steps–and guessed on the type of paste to use (if you’ve ever been to an Asian market you know there are countless varieties) but in the end, this ended up tasting just like Fortune’s. I wasn’t sure quite what to call this (is it authentic?)–it’s like a recipe for chili oil enhanced with chili paste. I consider it a sauce because it neither fits in the oil nor paste category. Whatever you call it (if you know the Chinese name, please share), I’ve just freed some precious pantry real estate; my search for the perfect tabletop condiment stops here. And hey, I might even give my father a jar to sample. Thanks to me and my sister he and my mother now have lots of space in their new pantry, too, but I have a feeling this won’t sit forgotten there either.
Update 10/19/2014: We put this sauce on everything. Lately, I’ve been adding garlic to each batch. The garlic slices add another tasty dimension to this already flavorful, versatile, sauce.
Variation: for a garlicky chili sauce, peel and slice a whole head of garlic. After adding the vegetable oil and cooking for two minutes, add the garlic slices and cook for another 2-4 minutes on medium or medium-high heat. Just enough heat to keep the sauce lightly sizzling but not too hot to burn the garlic. Then add the broad bean paste and cook for another 1-2 minutes before turning off the heat. Cool completely before storing in jars.
Clockwise from top left: 1) dried red chilies 2) processed 3) soaking in water 4) stir-fried until the water has completely evaporated 5) after the oil and chili paste have been added 6) the chili paste I used.
Chinese Chili Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 ounces 2 bags Chinese dried red peppers (yields about 1 3/4 cups crushed red peppers)
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil if you like more oil feel free to increase this amount
- 1 1/3 cup store-bought broad bean paste
- water for soaking the peppers
Instructions
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Crush the whole dried red peppers in a food processor; this will take roughly one minute. Transfer the crushed peppers to a large bowl and add enough water to wet all the peppers and soak for 1-3 hours.
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To cook: In a large wok or skillet, add the peppers and some of the water from the bowl. Turn the heat up to high and cook the peppers, stirring occasionally, until the water has cooked down completely. Add the vegetable oil, turn down the heat to medium or medium-high and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Add the bean paste, stir to combine and turn off the heat.
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Let cool completely before transferring to jars. This will just about fill two standard-sized mason jars.
Recipe Notes
Variation: for a garlicky chili sauce, peel and slice a whole head of garlic. After adding the vegetable oil and cooking for two minutes, add the garlic slices and cook for another 2-4 minutes on medium or medium-high heat. Just enough heat to keep the sauce lightly sizzling but not too hot to burn the garlic. Then add the broad bean paste and cook for another 1-2 minutes before turning off the heat. Cool completely before storing in jars.
Hi…amazing, however, for me I add in some spices..coriander and use coconut oil instead of veg oil.
Beautiful photos, Jean! This sauce is so vibrant. I’m not sure that I’ve ever tried it, but I can see why it’s a favorite of yours :).
COOL! I make so much Asian food I have to keep this stuff on hand!
What a beautiful, fierce sauce! I don’t often cook with chilies but I’d love to have this on display – for when I need some cheer and added vibrancy, 😀
Cute story about your dad! I often have to “covertly” toss things out when I visit my mom too. 😉
This sauce is great! That is something I have never tasted… Will have to visit my favorit Asian supermarkets soon. 😉
Cheers,
Rosa
I too am obsessed with hot sauce! My latest compulsion is with Shim’on Ariche Harissa Forte, which I can only find at Fairway Market. During the summer I make my own with homegrown cayenne peppers: http://beetsandbluecheese.com/2012/10/20/1710/ I’ve been looking for an excuse to visit the Asian market near me, perhaps I’ll have to give your recipe a try.
Your father and I should go food shopping exclusively together. We are one and the same! Eversince I took over the family food shopping when I was young, I would take home so many strange things that almost never get used and end up in the bin. Now I am more prudent but the habit is still there. LOL! I can only count with my fingers the chili peppers I know. Now I have a reason to buy that sambal oelek staring at me Eataly.
I’m afraid my pantry runneth over too. I’ve been trying to get a handle on things and only buy truly what I need, but it’s hard. The grocery store is like a mall to me! 🙂
Chili oils make my heart beat faster and the endorphins in my brain running high! Love them! Will eat them straight out of the jar! Hehehe…
What a great story — the recipe is just an added bonus for visiting. 🙂
Wow, this looks amazing and how fun to learn it from “an expert”!
Haha. I’m the same way at the Asian market. “I could possibly use this one day! Gotta get it.” So much unused stuff I have now!
I love these pictures. Good job on making something (that I think is) boring looking to look tasty and fun!
If it weren’t for the bean paste it will be a Harissa. Isn’t it wonderful how one dish weaves through the world with different variations?! The color you achieved here with the paste is superb.
Pretty pics Jean- I think you are going to be cooking up some spicy food…how cool to get this recipe;-)
I SO want to make this! Anything spicy is something to do the happy dance for. Smile. I love your photos – beautiful!!!
I love this type of Chinese chili sauce, thanks for the secret to great chili sauce. Your Dad sounds like fun guy to have around.
I adore our Asian market. I could pick up something needless in every aisle and swear I’ll use it one day. Love, LOVE this sauce, Jean.
Hi Jean,
For your Chinese chili sauce receipt, can olive oil be used or do you prefer a specific oil? Also do you use only dried Chinese red peppers or can the dried Mexican peppers work (for me it’s a matter of availability)? I noticed you didn’t add any garlic to this sauce is there a reason not to? I am out of the Sambal Oelek sauce you gave me, however your husband assures me this new sauce you’ve made is much better. I’m eating more eggplant and want to make the sauce to go with it. Thank You.
Hi, Joe. Olive oil might work since you don’t really cook the peppers with it and yes, dried Mexican peppers should work, too. However, you’ll need the chili paste I used and you might not find it in your neck of the woods. Will pick it up for you. You won’t need the garlic.
Cannot wait to try this!!! Right up my alley.
Hi Jean,
I just finished making your chili paste receipt with a few variations. I used a mix of Canola and olive oil and three large cloves of garlic. I used a little less than a cup of oil for a more paste texture and let the bean sauce simmer into the chilies for 10 minutes or so. I think your husband is right, this sauce will only get better as it ages, and the mexican chili peppers give it a more earthy taste (not to my liking).I do believe your sauce is way better than the Chinese restaurant we ate at.
Thank You for the receipt.
Thank you so much for the recipe,I live in South Africa and will deffinitly try this recipe as
I love chilli sauce.
Wonderful day to all of you chille lovers
This is a take on the chili sauce served in dumpling restaurants in China. When I lived there, this was the stuff we mixed with vinegar and fish sauce to dip our jiaozi in. Delicious!
Jean, 8-20-14
Thank you again for supplying me with the ingredients for what I call your chili paste recipe. I made a double batch and added lots of garlic at the end and only used a cup and a half of canola oil, it is of course delicious. I am anxious to taste your broad bean paste with this recipe.
Joe.
Hello! I would like to try this and sell. I am wondering how can I make shelf life of this sauce long when I have to display it on my store for some weeks before buyer decides to buy it? Thank you!
Hi, Jeff. Glad you like this sauce. I’m not exactly sure what the shelf life of this sauce is. It has kept in my refrigerator for weeks at a time. Just make sure that the sauce is fully immersed in oil. Beyond this, I couldn’t give you any advice. I would suggest making a batch and storing it in your fridge to see how long it lasts. 🙂
Excellent sauce Jean! We loved the addition of garlic that you mention in the update! It must be enhancing the flavors very much.
Loved it!
Panos and Mirella
Are you trying to make the Sambal Oelek type chili paste, or is this something different?
It seems like your recipe should have vinegar, but maybe it isn’t what I am thinking. I have had it both ways at Chinese Restaurants. I think in Oakland I had some that didn’t have the tangy vinegar taste, so maybe yours is more like that?
Hi, Diane. This is a Szichuan chili sauce, very savory, using doubanjiang which are soybeans fermented for at least two years. I’m not really familiar with other preparations which may include vinegar. This particular preparation was wholly inspired by the owners of a local Chinese restaurant who kindly shared their method with me of enhancing the store-bought doubanjiang. I love sambal oelek too–for comparison, this is saltier with a deep flavor if you’re in the Bay Area you can find the brand I use at a 99 Ranch Market. It’s pictured in the post–just make sure you pick up “Broad Bean Paste with Chili” as there are other varieties in very similar packaging. If you like chili sauce I recommend this one. Hope this helps. 🙂
You can add some toasted garlic bits, which are available in most Asian stores to have that garlicky aroma and taste.