Aji Amarillo Hot Sauce (from Peruvian Chile Peppers) - Recipe

 
Aji Amarillo hot sauce

I was unfamiliar with Aji Amarillo chile peppers, but when I saw these beautiful specimens from Terra Dolce at our co-cop, I was entranced and knew immediately they would be coming home with me. Searching the web, I learned that they are one of the most important ingredients in Peruvian cuisine. The fresh pepper is used to make huancaina, a cheese sauce that is popular on many dishes including the classic papa a la huancaina with cold potatoes and eggs.

When I get a new type of dried pepper, I love to make a simple hot sauce with it. It is one of the best ways to appreciate the unique flavors and heat level found in each variety. These sauce come together with just a few minutes of active work, and make an intense condiment that you could use anywhere you would use a bottled hot sauce like Tabasco or Tapatio.

Aji Amarillo turns out to be perfect for this kind of sauce. Many peppers taste of caramelized fruit, often like raisins. The Aji Amarillo reminds me more of sundried tomato. The heat level is quite high. A dab of this stuff will greatlly enliven a taco or a plate of scrambled eggs.

The hot sauce technique is dead simple: you briefly toast the peppers on a dry, hot griddle. Then you remove the seeds, stems, and ribs, and soak the flesh in a bit of boiling water. I like to do that right in the jar of my mini food processor. After they have softened a bit, you add salt, and an acid (citrus juice or vinegar) and any garlic, herbs or spices that you want. I prefer to keep it pretty simple and add those elaborations fresh with my food.

When working with chile peppers, whether fresh or dried, I highly recommend using disposable gloves. They can be found inexpensively at any drugstore, and then you don't have to worry about trying to get the spicy oils off of your hands. If you do accidentally get a hot spot on your hands, rubbing alcohol is pretty effective at removing it.

Aji Amarillo Hot Sauce (can be made with other dried chiles)
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free
Yields about 1/4 cup

• 4 dried Aji Amarillo or other peppers of your choice (use more if they are small, the Aji Amarillos were about 5 inches long and 1 inch wide)
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Heat a dry skillet over a medium-high flame. Place the peppers on the skillet and toast for about 20 seconds on each side. You want them to become fragrant but definitely not burn. If you burn them, they will become bitter.
2. Remove from the skillet and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Working over the sink or garbage, and wearing disposable gloves if possible, remove and discard the stems, seeds, and ribs of the peppers. If you like you can retain some of the seeds, which will tend to be hotter. I kind of enjoy the texture of the seeds so I often leave some in.
3. Tear the peppers into small pieces and put them in the jar of a mini food processor. Cover with the boiling water and stir. Allow to sit for 10 minutes or more.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and puree thoroughly. If it won't puree, add more hot water, a tablespoon or so at a time. You'll have to stop frequently to scrape down the sides.
5. Taste (carefully!) and adjust the seasonings to your preference.

Red Curry Fried Rice with Seared Pineapple - Recipe

 
Red curry fried rice with seared pineapple

So let's say you made this red curry squash, and had lots of leftover red curry paste. One of the most delicious ways to use it up is in a quick fried rice. Chunks of seared pineapple provide just a bit of sweet counterbalance to the spice. 

A few quick bits of housekeeping: this will probably be my only post for Thanksgiving week, as I know lots of folks are traveling and won't be reading blogs. Also, if you have holiday shopping left to do, don't forget to click through this Amazon.com link or one from another of your favorite blogs. When you do, we'll earn a few percent of the purchase price of anything you buy for 24 hours after that. It is a great way to help the bloggers you enjoy cover their expenses.

You can make this dish with Thai jasmine rice, but I really like it with basmati. The long grains fry up beautifully. Day old rice is perfect, but if you don't have that, just make a fresh pot, spread it out on a sheet pan, and let it cool in the refrigerator as long as possible. Steaming-hot rice is too moist on the outside to fry properly.

Commercial curry paste can be good in this too; if it is important to you for it to be vegetarian then read the label carefully, as many of them will contain shrimp paste. You can doctor it up with some fresh ginger to get a livelier taste.

The best way to cut a pineapple is to remove the stem, stand it up, and make vertical cuts along the outside to remove all of the spiky bits. Go ahead and cut deep enough to get all of them, otherwise you'll spend a ton of time picking out all of the "eyes". Then cut in vertical quarters and use your knife like you would when paring an apple to remove the core from each quarter. The whole process only takes a couple of minutes.

Red Curry Fried Rice with Seared Pineapple
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free (double check your curry paste if you buy prepackaged)
Serves 4 as a side dish

• 1.5 cups fresh pineapple, bite sized chunks
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 small white onion, diced
• 2 - 4 tablespoons red curry paste (I like a lot, but suit youself)
• 4 cups cooked and cooled jasmine or basmati rice (day-old is great)
• salt to taste
• cilantro or green onion for garnish
• lime wedges

1. Heat a large skillet or wok over a very high flame. Without any oil, sear the pineapple for a few minutes, until it gets at least some brown spots and the flavor intensifies. Remove from pan.
2. Add the oil, and a few seconds later the onion. Cook for 30 seconds. Have the rice ready to go. Add the curry paste, and fry for 10 seconds. Add the rice, and break up the chunks, stirring through the curry paste. Add 1 teaspoon of salt.
3. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally for a few minutes. It tastes best if some of the rice is allowed to get brown and crispy.
4. Add back in the pineapple, stir through to reheat. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Garnish with cilantro or green onion, serve with lime wedges.

Vietnamese Green Mango Salad - Recipe

 
Green mango salad

Green mango (or papaya) salad is addictive. It hits all those sweet, tangy and fresh notes that wake up your palate at the beginning of a meal, or refresh it after a bite of spicy curry. My wife and I have been known to narrow down our selection of Vietnamese restaurants purely based on the quality of their mango salad, and to use the leftover dressing to flavor our bun when the house sauce isn't vegetarian.

This salad works best with slightly underripe mangos. You want them to be firm, but not rock hard. The easiest way to cut them is with a mandoline, and it makes for neater presentation. You can do it with a knife too, it just takes a little more time.

I've experimented with different ways to make the dressing without fish sauce. Often a little soy sauce works as an umami-rich substitute, but in this case I like a bit of Chinese sesame oil instead. Not traditional but I think it works very well. I like the dressing to be rather sweet. You should adjust it to balance the particular mangos you are working with.

Vietnamese Green Mango Salad
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free
Serves 4

• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 4 tablespoons palm sugar or half white sugar, half light brown
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 underripe mangos cut into medium batons (see photo)
• 1/2 small red onion, cut into very thin rings and soaked briefly in cold water
• 1 small green chili (Thai bird, or if not handy, jalapeno or serrano can be fine too) (optional)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 handful cilantro or mint leaves (or a mixture)

1. If using palm sugar, crush first in mortar and pestle. It may help to microwave a bit and/or moisten. Combine the lime juice, sugar, ginger, salt, and sesame oil. Shake well to dissolve the sugar. Taste and adjust the balance of flavors. It should be fairly sweet.
2. Just before serving, combine the dressing with the mango, red onion, green chili, most of the sesame seeds and most of the herbs.
3. Garnish with the remaining sesame seeds and herbs.