Vietnamese Chili Garlic Paste

Ingredients

12 dried whole Chilies (I use Hatch Chili Peppers medium, you can use any dried chili peppers, your preference)

2 dried whole Ancho Peppers (You can use mild, medium, or hot peppers)

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

2 Garlic cloves, peeled

Directions

Place the chili peppers into a bowl. Pour boiling water over the chili peppers to cover the chili peppers. Place a plate at the top of the chili peppers to ensure that the chili peppers are submerged in the hot water. Set aside for approximately 30 minutes or until the chili peppers are softened.

Take the chili peppers out of the bowl, cut them to take out the seeds and remove the juice from the chili peppers and save the juice, we will use it later.

Chop the chili peppers into thin pieces and put them in a blender or a food processor. Wear gloves while chopping the peppers.

Add a large pinch of salt, garlic, oil and then add little bit of juice that we have reserved. Blend everything using a blender or food processor.

Once the paste is ready, transfer it to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.