Spicy Chilli Dip Recipe

I remember when I was younger, my mother used to make spicy foods to build up my tolerance for chilli. My brother and I would be given small ice cubes to suck on whenever the food gets too hot. It was like a pseudo-ice cream treat and today, I am proud to say I am a chilli lover.

If you are a chilli lover too, chances are you would agree with me that most things go well with chilli. It doesn't have to be overwhelmingly spicy - sometimes all you need is that touch of spice and to balance out the flavours.

I was inspired by my grandmother, who makes a mean chilli dip with just garlic and chilli. This recipe incorporates a few more ingredients but you should adjust to your liking - more/less chilli padi, more/less salt, etc. By adding a dash of white rice vinegar, I was reminded of the chilli sauce for Hainanese chicken rice.

Ingredients
7 small chillies/chilli padi
3 big chillies
2cm knob ginger
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp white rice vinegar

Method
Blend everything together till fine. You can choose to de-seed the chillies before use but be careful of the burn. Err on the safe side by wearing gloves when handling the chilli.

Tip
Store in a small container (glass or plastic) in the fridge up to 3-4 weeks