Hot Chilli & Lemon Paste

This paste is great with everything, I even have it with cheese sandwiches for that hot burst of flavour. This recipe originally came from my husband's aunt who is from Mauritius. This paste is in huge demand from family and friends so I'm sure it will be a hit for you. Remember to cook the chilli in a well ventilated room as the fumes can be strong and always use rubber gloves when preparing chillies.

• Ready In: 54 mins
• Yields: 3-4 Medium jars

Ingredients

• 500  g hot red chili peppers
• 3  lemons (preferably thin skinned lemons)
• 2  garlic cloves
• 1  cm fresh ginger
•  vegetable oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Wash chillies and remove stalks (Note: Use rubber gloves).
2. Cut chillies in half lengthways.
3. Wash and cut lemons into quarters.
4. Crush garlic and finely chop ginger.
5. Put all above ingredients into food processor and blend in batches until paste consistency is as desired, adding small amounts of oil if dry.
6. In a heavy based pan cover bottom with oil and heat to medium high, when a small amount of paste is dropped into the oil it should sizzle.
7. (Note: only cook chilli in well ventilated area as fumes are strong).
8. Add paste to hot oil, add salt and stir constantly.
9. As soon as paste turns from red to orange (about 3 - 4 mins) remove from heat, stir and allow to cool.
10. Once cool put into sterilised jars and top with oil so that there is a thin layer of oil on top of paste and refrigerate.
11. In cool weather this can be stored in a cupboard.