Sweet Chili Paste (La Jiao Jiang)

This is an ingredient I didn't have in the pantry. As long as you have a sharp knife, a mortar and pestle or a food processor, the recipe is easy to do. The heat of your peppers determines the heat of the paste. I used red jalapenos because they were the only hot red peppers available in my area, aside from Thai chili peppers which I didn't want to use for this recipe. My biggest complaint about Asian condiments are that I might use them a few times a year and the jar takes up prime real estate in the fridge. By making condiments in smaller batches, not only is it fresher tasting but also there are no preservatives.

The Foodening Blog: chopped red chiles

Store it in a glass jar. Keeps for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Related recipes: Sweet Chili Shrimp

Ingredients

3-5 hot red peppers
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
pinch of salt
1 tsp rice vinegar

Directions

1. Remove the stem from the peppers and discard. Roughly chop the peppers into smaller pieces. Then chop in a food processor with the garlic, salt and vinegar.

2. (optional) In a small saucepan, heat olive oil over low-medium heat and add the peppers and garlic. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Let cool before using or storing in a jar.

The Foodening Blog: red chili paste, nearly done

Sweet Spicy Shrimp

This recipe ratio is a definite keeper. It was delicious. I'm not even sure if shrimp has a harvesting season, like crab or other larger seafood. But, I definitely have seen a wide range of prices for raw shrimp; from $5.99/lb (Fubonn, before asian food holidays) up to $13.99/lb (Costco, Trader Joe's). Certainly before the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster, shrimp prices were cheaper by a couple of dollars per pound. And, rather than turn this post into a ecowatch rant, here are the directions.

I didn't have any shallots nor cilantro on hand so I omitted both. The cilantro is just for color.

The Foodening Blog: sweet chili shrimp, ready to eat

Ingredients

1 lb raw shrimp, shelled and de-veined
1 tbsp olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
(optional) 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
(optional) 1 small shallot, finely chopped

Marinade for Shrimp

2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp sea salt

Sauce for Frying

1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2-3 tsp red chili paste

Directions

1. Clean and rinse shrimp. In a large bowl, mix shrimp, cornstarch and salt together. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, or refrigerate until ready to fry.

2. Prepare sauce: combine soy sauce, honey, vinegar and chili paste. Set aside.

3. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add oil and swirl the skillet to spread the oil around. Add garlic and ginger. Stir fry until the oil is fragrant and the garlic hasn't browned. Add shrimp and fry until the shrimp changes color from light gray to salmon pink, about 2-3 minutes. Pour in the sauce and stir until well combined.

4. Transfer to a serving dish and top with (optional) cilantro. Serve hot.