Chilli paste(Sri Lankan style).

Chilli paste is that spicy side condiment you add to your Chinese fried rice to make it extra spicy.
This easy chilli paste recipe needs just 6 ingredients and can be made at home in bulk to last 2-3 months or a smaller portion for you and your family for a few weeks.

How to serve chilli paste.

• Serve the chilli paste as a condiment to your rice dishes or stir-fried noodles.
• Serve as a topping for fried eggs, soup, and broths to add spiciness.
• You can add a spoon to your lunch box of fried noodles.

Recipes with chilli paste.

Here are a few recipes that use chilli paste to add flavour.

• Hot butter cuttlefish.
• Hot butter-fried mushroom
• Spicy vegetable fried rice

Tips and questions about chilli paste.

• Tips.
  • How much oil to use for the chilli paste.
    • Oil in chilli paste is a way to preserve it without refrigeration.
    • For this recipe, I am using just enough oil to fry the ingredients. I am not adding extra oil where the chilli paste is completely submerged in it.
    • But if you prefer it this way, just adjust the amount of oil to add more.
  • Ingredients you can add to the chilli paste
    • You can add fried onions as well and slivers of fried ginger, which are then blended into the chilli paste for added flavour.
    • Add these to the chilli paste just after frying the minced garlic.

• Questions.
  • What is Kunisso?
    • Kunisso is one-half of the ingredients used to make this chilli paste.
    • Kunisso is a small or baby shrimp. These come washed and packed, so they are easy to use.
  • Where can I buy kunisso(dry shrimp)?
    • They are available on Amazon online; you can check them out here.
    • Try the Sri Lankan, Indian or even Thai shops.
  • What are the substitutes for kunisson (dried baby shrimp)?
    • If you find larger dried shrimp, simply run them through a blender for a few seconds to break them into smaller pieces.
  • How to substitute dried baby shrimp with fresh shrimp?
    • If you are unable to find kunisso(dried baby shrimp), then clean, devein shrimp(frozen shrimp would do as well)and then deep fry them until they are quite crispy.
    • I will write down how to use the deep-fried shrimp in the recipe instructions below.

What you will need in the kitchen.

• Large frying pan.
• Flat spoon.
• Bowls for the ingredients.
• Medium-sized bottle with lid

More condiments like chilli paste.

Sri Lankan Malay pickle
Sri Lankan data and lime chutney
Pineapple chutney(Sri Lankan).
barbecue sauce(spicy bbq sauce)
Sweet and sour sauce.

Storage, freezing and reheating guide.

• Storing.
  • Use an airtight container and always use a dry spoon. Refrigerate when not in use.
• Reheating.
  • Reheating is not needed; if you’ve refrigerated the condiment, just take some and let it reach room temperature before use.

RECIPE DIFFICULTY-LITTLE CARE NEEDED

Ingredients to make chilli paste.

• Cloves of garlic, minced.
• Oil
• Dried small shrimp are also known as kunisso in Sinhalese.
• Chilli flakes
• Sugar
• Soy sauce
• Salt to season

Photo tutorial.

How to make chilli paste.

Have all your ingredients ready.

• If the kunisso(dried shrimp)are slightly larger.
  • Blitz it in a grinder into smaller pieces. Avoid turning it into a fine powder.
• If you are unable to find dried shrimp, then use fresh shrimp.
  • First, clean, devein, and remove the shell, then deep-fry them.

Once this is done, add them to a grinder and blend until you have a somewhat paste-like consistency.
Add(2 to 3 tablespoons of oil to ease the blending).

Place the pan over low heat and pour in the oil.
Add the minced garlic and fry it over low heat for 30-40 seconds, or just long enough until it separates into individual pieces.

Add the dried kunisso(100g, read above on how to substitute with fresh shrimp) into the pan and combine with the frying garlic. Constantly stir for an even fry while maintaining low heat.
Stir for 3 minutes.

Now add the red chilli flakes.
As you stir and combine the ingredients to make the chilli paste, you’ll notice the oil is absorbed, and the chilli paste almost looks dry.
Pour additional oil while stirring if you need to.

Add the sugar and soy sauce and season with salt.
You can adjust the sugar and salt taste as per your needs.

Cook for another 2 minutes over low heat.
Remove from the stove. You may notice that the paste is less oily.
If you prefer your chilli paste to be oily, add extra oil. This can be 1/4 cup to 1 cup of oil.
The result will be an oily version of the same chilli paste recipe.
Once cool.
Transfer to a clean and dry glass bottle.
For best results, let it rest for a day before use.

This is your basic chilli paste recipe.
I suggest playing around with the quantity of each ingredient(chilli flakes, shrimp)every time you make a new batch of chilli paste to create your unique blend.

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chilli paste(sri Lankan style)

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes

chilli paste that spicy side condiment you add to your chinese fried rice just to make it extra spicy.

4.6 Stars (11 Reviews)

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Ingredients

• 1 cup of oil(can increase up to 2 cups if you want it oily)
• 10 garlic cloves minced
• 100g of dried small shrimp(kunisso, substitute with fresh shrimp deep-fried)
• 100g of chilli flakes
• 1/4 cup sugar(about 4 tablespoons which you can reduce as per your need)
• 4 tablespoons of soy sauce
• Salt to season

Instructions

Have all your ingredients ready.

• If the kunisso(dried shrimp)are slightly larger.
• Blitz it in a grinder into smaller pieces. avoid turning it into a fine powder.

• If you are unable to find dried shrimp then use fresh shrimp.
• first clean, devein, remove the shell and then deep fry them.

1. Once this is done, add them to a grinder and blend until you have a somewhat paste-like consistency.
2. Add(2-3 tablespoons of oil to ease the blending).
3. Place pan over low heat and pour in the oil.
4. Add the minced garlic(10-12 cloves)and fry them over low heat for 30-40 seconds or just long enough until they separate into individual pieces.
5. Add the dried kunisso(100g, read above on how to substitute with fresh shrimp) into the pan and combine with the frying garlic.
6. Constantly stir for an even fry while maintaining low heat.
7. Stir for 3 minutes.
8. Now add the red chillie flakes(100g).
9. As you stir and combine the ingredients to make the chilli paste, you’ll notice the oil is absorbed and the chilli paste almost looks dry.
10. Pour additional oil while stirring(1/4 cup to 1 cup)if you need to.
11. Add the sugar(1/4 cup) and soy sauce(3 tbsps) and season with salt.
12. You can adjust the sugar and salt taste as per your needs.
13. Cook for another 2 minutes over low heat.
14. Remove from stove. you may notice that the paste is less oily.
15. If you prefer your chilli paste it to be oily, add extra oil. this can be 1/4 cup to 1 cup of oil.
16. The results would be an oily version of the same chilli paste recipe.
17. Once cool. transfer to a clean and dry glass bottle.
18. For best results let it rest for a day before use.

This is your basic chilli paste recipe.

I would suggest playing around with the quantity of each ingredient(chilli flakes, shrimp)every time you make a new batch of chilli paste to come up with your unique blend.

I'd love to know how it turned out.
Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and a comment; I read every one — it helps other visitors trust the recipe and helps them find me too.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 415Total Fat: 39gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 34gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 908mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 6g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JEHAN
Recipe creator. Food Blogger. Video creator
I’ve been cooking and sharing Sri Lankan recipes, along with other dishes I love making at home on Island Smile since 2015. Every recipe on this site has been tested more than once in my own kitchen before it goes on the blog.
I grew up eating this food, and I still cook it the same way my family taught me, just written down clearly enough that you can follow it too.
If a recipe doesn’t work the way I say it will, tell me in the comments; I read every one, and I’ll help you fix it.