Recipes

Due to popular demand, I have included a recipes page.

1. John's Sweet Chilli Sauce.

This is a very simple recipe with a low degree of difficulty.

Ingredients:

• 250 grams fresh chillies
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 2 medium brown onions
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 2 cups of raw sugar
• 2 cups of white vinegar
• 1/2 cup of chopped coriander, leaves and stems
• 2 cm cube of ginger

I use various varieties, whatever is ripe and available at the time.

Method: 

• Roughly blend the ingredients except the sugar and salt, adding a little vinegar if necessary. 
• Place in saucepan. 
• Add the sugar and salt, bring to the boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. 
• Blend thoroughly and place in sterilized jars.

Makes approx. 3 medium sized jars.  I keep my jars in the refrigerator although I am told I do not have to.  Heat rating of this sauce is 7-8.  You can tone down the heat by removing the seeds or by using milder chillies.

2. Pickled Chillies.

This recipe for approximately 1 kilogram of chillies works well with most chillies. Thick fleshed chillies do best. I use Jalapeno, Jaloro, Aji Cristal, Aji Rojo, Aji Habanero, Polumbo, Rocoto and Habanero Golden Bullet so far. But will use others when available.

Ingredients:

• Sterilised jars
• Brine
• Pickling solution
• Chillies

Preparation:

Wash jars in hot soapy water then rinse in hot water. Alternately wash in dishwasher. Place jars on shelves in oven at 120 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes to sterilise.

Brine:

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup pickling salt

Place chillies in a bowl. Combine the salt and water and cover the chillies with the brine. Place a plate on the chillies to keep them submerged in the brine. Soak the chillies overnight to crisp them. Drain, rinse well and dry.

Pickling Solution:

• 3 cups water
• 3 cups white vinegar
• 3 teaspoons pickling salt

In a pan combine ingredients. Bring to the boil. Leave to cool slightly

Method:

While the pickling solution is cooling, poke 3 small holes in the top of each chilli with a skewer. Pack the chillies tightly in the sterilised jars leaving  1 cm headroom. Pour pickling solution over the chillies leaving no head room. Remove any trapped air bubbles. Store for 4-6 weeks in a cool dark place before consumption.

Heat scale will vary depending on choice of chillies. Adding Habaneros will increase the heat of the other chillies.

3. Hot Spicy Lime Pickle.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Tahitian limes
• 4 Tablespoons salt
• 1 Teaspoon turmeric
• 2 Teaspoons garam marsala
• 4 Chillies of your choice - chopped

Method:

Cut limes into eighths. Mix together spices, salt and chopped chillies. Mix well with the limes and then put in a screw topped jar and cover. Keep in a warm place for a week, shaking the jar every day. The pickles are ready when the limes skins become soft. Blend the limes to make a sauce which is easy to spread.

4. Molasses Spray.

I use this spray for Aphids and caterpillars. To keep possums away add an extra tablespoon of molasses.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon molasses
• 1 Litre of warm water
• 1 Teaspoon of Sunlight dishwashing liquid or Sunlight Soap (grated)

Method:

Dissolve the molasses in the warm water. Add the Sunlight and mix well. Spray fruit and both sides of the leaves.

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