Disclaimer alert: I am not responsible for you wanting to drizzle this on top of everything and anything once you make it. This hot sauce is completely addictive and easy to make, even for first time fermenters.
You’ve got to allow time for the natural fermentation process but Mother Nature practically does the work for you there: you just have to chop, wait a while and blitz. I take this sauce along to my Pop-Up foodie events as a delicious condiment which always makes people come back for more.
Fermented Chilli Sauce
Course: Dips, Fermentation, SaucesCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy15
minutes4-6
weeksYou’ve got to allow time for the natural fermentation process but Mother Nature practically does the work for you there: you just have to chop, wait a while and blitz.
Ingredients
3 tbsp sea salt
1 litre filtered water
700 g chillis peppers of your choice. I like to use Serrana, Cherry and Jalapeño
2 large red onions, roughly chopped
1 bulb garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
6 medium/large sweet tomatoes
brown sugar
apple cider vinegar
Directions
- Fermentation
- Make the brine by dissolving 3 tbsp sea salt in 1 litre filtered warm water. Allow to cool.
- In a large jar, add the chopped chillies, onions & garlic.
- Pour the brine over the vegetables, top with a fermentation weight so that everything is submerged in the brine. Seal tightly then set the mixture in a clean, dark place at room temperature to ferment for about 4-6 weeks.
- Hot Sauce
- Once the fermentation is complete, strain the peppers, onions, and garlic, and reserve the brine.
- Roast the tomatoes until soft and squishy.
- In a food processor, add the fermented vegetables, as well as the roasted tomatoes and enough brine to help you blend to a smooth sauce.
- Taste for seasoning and add brown sugar and apple cider vinegar until you the desired taste.
- Store in the fridge and drizzle on top of everything – it’s addictive!
Notes
- Using a fermentation weight is really important as it ensures that everything is submerged fully in the brine which stops things from going mouldy. You can fill a sandwich bag with water and use that as a weight if you don’t have specific fermentation weights.
- Experiment with what you choose to ferment in the initial process. Alongside the chillies, try fermenting carrots, cucumber, or even fruit such as pineapple or peaches.
this looks absolutley exquisit… Ive just begun making.. 4 weeks to go. How many tomatoes do you use in this recepie?
Thanks so much for this recsourse of wonder <3
Hey Mary, thanks so much for your comment. Oh that’s great to hear, I’d love to hear how you use it. I use it lots as a dipping sauce for things like samosas and spring rolls. I use around 6 medium/ large sweet tomatoes but you can experiment here – I’ll update the recipe now, thanks for pointing out to me 🙂 Happy fermenting! x
I’ve just started the fermentation process. I do not have a special fermentation jar only a glass jar with a metal strap to lock it and a rubber that I can put between the jar and the lid. Do I use it with or without the rubber?
So exited for the result :).