Sri Lankan Chili Paste
Deep-fried aromatics and dried shrimp blended into a fiery, savory umami bomb
Fry everything separately, let it cool completely before blending. Hot ingredients kill the texture. Then leave it to sit for 24 hours before the first use. It gets better.
A fiery, savory umami bomb. Deep-fried aromatics and dried shrimp blended into a rich paste, then tempered with chili flakes.
Ingredients
The Crunch: Red onion (small diced), garlic (small diced), curry leaves
The Umami: Kunisso (dried shrimp), can be substituted with prawns, Halmasso (anchovies), or Umbalakada (Maldive fish)
The Heat: Chili flakes
Aromatics: Cardamom (crushed to powder)
The Sauce (pre-mixed): Sugar, salt, soy sauce, tomato sauce
Liquid: Coconut oil or vegetable oil for frying
Method
The Layered Fry
Heat oil in a pan. Fry each ingredient separately, removing each before adding the next:
- Onions, until golden, drain well
- Garlic, until golden and fragrant
- Curry leaves, until crisp
- Kunisso, until golden and crunchy
The Cool Down
Spread all fried ingredients out and let them cool completely. Do not blend while hot. The texture will be destroyed.
The Blend
Place all cooled fried ingredients into a blender. Pulse until a consistent, textured paste forms.
The Tempering
Heat a pan on low heat with a little fresh oil. Add powdered cardamom and chili flakes. Mix well and let the flakes cook up without burning.
The Integration
Stir in the blended paste and the pre-mixed soy-sugar sauce. Mix thoroughly until unified.
The Finish
Off the heat. Add a small amount of tomato sauce to balance the heat and give a glossy finish.
Storage
Once completely cool, store in a clean, tightly sealed glass jar. Develops more depth after 24 hours.
The essential side for Nasi Goreng and Mongolian Seafood Rice. Also works with any plain rice.