Moke’s Chilli Pepper Water
From elgourmand 12 years ago
- 30 to make
- Serves Many
Back when I lived in Hawaii I used to frequent a hole in the wall dinner called Ono Ono Kau Kau. I don’t think Michelin was planning to visit Ono and even one star would seem over the top by Michelin standards; but the Hawaiian food there was the best in Honolulu. Read more Next time you’re in the Aloha State give it a try; every cab driver knows where Ono is. On every table there, and in every hole in the wall eatery in Hawaii, there is a bottle of “Chilli Pepper Water”. The story is that this was created during WWII; when fancy was hard to get. Could be; Hawaii experienced WWII for real; it still has the highest Spam consumption rate per capita of anyplace in the US; good old “C” Rations. Chilli Pepper Water is surprisingly flavorful. A little girl who started out, at age 12 or 13, bussing the tables, then eventually managed Ono and is now retired told me the incredible secret of Chilli Pepper Water; one of the few good things about getting old is that you can say things like that and people believe you. Right now I’m setting in my den in Samoa, nibbling on small chunks of Camembert cheese on slices of decent salami with a Greek olive on top. I could be anywhere in Europe. However, a little later I’ll do a SoCal type towelettes and that will get splashed with Moke’s chili Pepper Water. Welcome to “Rocket Science”. See less
Ingredients
- • 2 cups Bird’s Eye Chiles, ± to taste, See picture. These are small, medium hot chillies that grow like weeds in the tropics. I’ve never planted any and have four bushes on a half acre of land anyway; Mother Nature likes Bird’s Eye Chillies. You can super grind these and make a very nice “salsa Picante”. Most of you will have to buy these. Asian food stores are a good source. shopping list
- • 3 Tbs Sea, pickling or kosher salt. You want to make a brine solution here. If you’re on a salt restricted diet I don’t know what to say. The salt preserves the chillies. I’ve never tried to make it without salt but I don’t think that would work. shopping list
- • 750ml (about 1 qt) boiled water. shopping list
- • A suitable container. I usually use an empty booze bottle and then transfer the Chilli pepper water to a dispensing container after it has “aged”. shopping list
How to make it
- 1. Sterilize the 750ml jug; I do this with boiling water.
- 2. Wash the chillies. See Photo
- 3. Pierce the Chillies. This step is optional and most don’t bother but I’m strange. I use a pin and pierce each chilli through the centre as I put in the jug. Rubber or disposable plastic gloves come in handy here. Bird’s Eyes are not super hot but don’t get any in your eyes.
- 4. Put the chillies and salt in the bottle and add boiled water; water should be warm to hot. See Photo
- 5. Let age at least a week; shaking at least once, and maybe 20 times, a day. Some chillies will float but don’t worry they will absorb enough salt to keep well.
- 6. Enjoy.
- I have an old 100ml Hot Sauce bottle that I use for a dispenser and I put a few chillies in that for a bit of colour. When I put the last of the old batch from the big jug into the dispenser I start a new batch in the big jug. The dispenser lasts about a week or so to give the new batch a chance to infuse.
- Because of the mild but definitive flavor, this gets sprinkled on lots of dishes where you wouldn’t normally use “Salsa Picante”. Chilli Pepper Water will last for many, many moons without refrigeration.
People Who Like This Dish 3
- wdsdyschild5 Nowhere, Us
- toleliz Burlington, Canada
- glbaskin Nowhere, Us
- elgourmand Apia, WS
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