Green and red hot sauce

These are my basic green and red hot sauce recipes which I adapt every time to accommodate for seasonal availability.

I’ve been growing my own chillies since Christmas and I’ve already harvested about two kilos, the equivalent of four batches of hot sauce. I urge you to try growing your own; it’s ecological, economical and incredibly satisfying!

Some tips: Make sure you taste and adjust amounts of ingredients as necessary, as every batch will be different. You may sometimes need to add a little sugar, or more or less vinegar or garlic. And always, always, always use gloves! I’ve learnt the hard way that while your tongue may become desensitised to chilli, your eyes never do…

Red Hot Sauce

• half a kilo of medium red chillies such as long red
• a few hot chillies such as red bullet (right) or Serrano
• 3 chipotle (smoked-dried) chillies
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic
• juice of one lemon
• salt to taste

Green Hot Sauce

• half a kilo of medium green chillies such as jalapenos
• a few hot chillies such as green Thai (right) or Serrano
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic
• juice of one lime
• salt to taste

Food Processor Method

1. While wearing gloves, de-seed the larger, mild chillies.
2. Throw these along with the small, hot chillies into a Thermomix or food processor.
3. Add the peeled garlic cloves and blend until finely chopped.
4. Pour the chilli mix into a saucepan and gently heat, stirring frequently, for about an hour.
5. Add the vinegar and lime/lemon juice and return to the blender.
6. Blend at speed 10 for about 30 seconds, or until as smooth as you can get it.
7. Taste and add salt as needed.
8. Pass through a drum sieve.
9. Heat once more and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.
10. While hot, pour into sterilised jars.

Thermomix Method

1. While wearing gloves, de-seed the larger, mild chillies.
2. Throw these along with the small, hot chillies into a Thermomix or food processor.
3. Add the peeled garlic cloves and blend until finely chopped.
4. Set Thermomix to cook for one hour at 90C, stirring speed, with the measuring cup removed.
5. Add the vinegar and lime/lemon juice and blend at speed 10 for about 30 seconds, or until as smooth as you want it.
6. Taste and add salt as needed.
7. Pass through a drum sieve.
8. Heat once more for 10 minutes on 90C, stirring speed.
9. While hot, pour into sterilised jars.