How To Make Basic Dried Chili Paste (Chili Boh / Cabe Giling)

Step 1

Rinse the chili with some water to get rid of any impurities. Pat dry with a paper towel. Use a scissor to cut the chili in half and some loose seeds will come out. You can also use a pointy knife to scrape the rest out. They don't have to be completely deseeded, it's not a big deal if there are some left. The chili paste will just be a bit spicier

Step 2

If you use fresh chili, you can split them open in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds out (or you can leave them in)

Step 3

Skip this step if you use fresh chilies. Place the chili in a pot and pour enough water to cover and boil for about 10 minutes. For larger chili such as chili guajillo, boil for about 20 minutes. Discard water after that

Step 4

Transfer the chili, shallots, and garlic to a blender and process into a fine paste. Add the cooking oil you are going to use in the blender to help it goes. That way, you don't need to add water. This helps to prolong the shelf-life of the chili paste later

Step 5

Transfer to a saucepan or skillet and stir fry over medium heat to cook off any moisture. The chili paste will get thicker and you can see some oil separates from it too. The longer you cook, the longer the chili paste will last. I cook it for about 30 minutes over medium-low heat

Step 6

Let the chili paste cools down and then transfer to a glass container. They can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, I recommend freezing them and they can last for up to 3 months

Step 7

I recommend portioning them into about 1 Tbsp portion and place them on a parchment paper and freeze them for about 1 hour or so. Then transfer to a freezer bag or container. So whenever you need a chili boh, you can just take whatever much you need. You can also portion them by using ice cube trays too