Have you ever gotten hooked on a particular product and used it in everything? Chilli Paste with Sweet Basil is one of my personal obsessions. I like the Por Kwan brand and have purchased both the sweet basil and holy basil versions at our local H-Mart.
Mr Minx and I were still in the dating stages of our relationship when I discovered this stuff, and he got pretty accustomed to finding it's spicy flavor in many of the dinners I cooked at his house. Not only did I use it to flavor Thai-style sauces for poultry (like the basil duck that I've mentioned here several times), but also I've tossed a spoonful of it into anything that needed a bit of heat. Or a bit of something. You know, when a dish just doesn't taste perfect yet and it needs a dash of __?___. Everything was fair game - pasta sauce, soup, mac and cheese, hamburgers. Ice cream. (Ok, kidding about that last one.)
I don't obsess over it quite as much these days, but there is an open jar in the fridge and a back-up in the pantry. My current favorite use for this spicy sauce is as a flavoring for egg salad - fan-freakin'-tastic. It adds just the right amount of heat and interest to an otherwise bland preparation. Of course it would be perfect in a variation of deviled eggs, too.
Fans of Thai flavors and a bit of heat should try this for themselves. And if you do pick up a jar (or two), please let me know how you've used it!
I will have to keep an eye out for that! We are the same way with Indian mixed pickle (vimal is the name brand). I made a moroccan lamb stew last week - it just needed a little something so added a little mixed pickle and it was perfect!
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