Spicy, zesty, tangy red chilli garlic sauce is a sure way to tantalise your taste buds and a perfect condiment for snacks like momos, dim sums or spring rolls. It is super easy, quick to make and requires just few basic ingredients.
In India, this chilli garlic dipping sauce is served with popular street food momos & hence also referred to as ‘momo chutney‘ or ‘spicy red chutney‘. Momos are steam dumplings from Tibetan or Nepali cuisine and are usually stuffed with vegetables, chicken or meat.
This momos chutney recipe is:
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Gluten free
- Easy & quick to make
- Perfect to enjoy with snack or appetisers
What is chilli garlic sauce made of?
Tomatoes: Pick ripe red tomatoes for maximum flavour and bright red colour in sauce. I have blanched them first in order to remove their peels. Though the sauce tastes prominently of chilli and garlic, tomatoes give it some pulp and tanginess.
Red chillies: Dried red chillies are one of the main ingredients of the sauce. They are first boiled in water in order to soften them up. You can adjust its quantity depending on the level of spiciness you want or the variety of red chillies being used.
Ginger & Garlic: Finely minced ginger and garlic add burst of flavours to this red sauce. I would recommend using fresh garlic and ginger but if you are short of time or don’t have them, you can use ginger garlic paste also.
Sugar & Vinegar: Little bit of sugar and vinegar helps in balancing the sweet-sour notes in sauce. Adding sugar is totally optional and it can easily be replaced with honey, maple syrup or brown sugar.
Variations: To give it a nutty taste or texture, you can add roasted peanuts or sesame seeds while blending the chutney.
Can I make momo chutney without garlic? Yes, you can skip garlic but I would recommend including it for authentic taste and flavour.
Serving Ideas:
- You can mix 1 to 2 tsp of this sauce with plain mayonnaise to make a creamy spicy dip.
- Use it as spread in wraps or while stir frying noodles or vegetables. As this sauce is spicy, use little bit at a time and increase the quantity gradually after tasting.
- It is also great to serve with snacks or appetisers like:
Ingredients:
- Tomatoes (ripe)- 3
- Dried Red Chillies- 6 to 7
- Garlic Cloves (minced)- 5 to 6
- Ginger (minced)- 1 +1/2 tsp
- Oil- 2 tsp
- Salt- 1 tsp (to taste)
- Vinegar- 1 tsp
- Sugar / Honey- 1/2 tsp (optional)
Directions:
Step 1:
Wash the tomatoes well and make a criss-cross cut on the bottom of tomatoes with a knife.
Step 2:
Heat water in a pan and bring it to rolling boil. Add these tomatoes and dried red chillies to it. Boil for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the flame when you notice the tomato peels slightly coming off.
Step 3:
Strain the tomatoes and chillies from hot water. You can let the tomatoes cool a bit or add them to iced water to cool them off immediately. Peel them carefully.
Step 4:
Add these peeled tomatoes and chillies to a mixer jar and blend to make smooth paste. Keep aside.
Step 5:
Heat oil in a pan. Add finely minced ginger and garlic. Sauté for 30-40 seconds (we don’t want to brown the garlic).
Add blended tomato-chillies, salt and cook for 2-3 minutes more till sauce begins to thicken up. Switch off the flame and add vinegar & sugar / honey. Taste & adjust seasoning as per your taste. Let the sauce cool down completely before serving.
Tip: If the colour of sauce is not bright enough, you can add ketchup instead of sugar.
How to store chilli garlic sauce?
The sauce can easily be stored in a glass jar or container in fridge for upto a week. You can even freeze it for upto a month & use later after thawing.
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(Note: This post was originally published on June 12, 2015 and has been updated with fresh images and better recipe.)
If you try this momos chutney recipe & share pics on social media, then don’t forget to tag on Facebook, Instagram or use #kuchpakrahahai.
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