Basic Chili Paste to Replace Chili Powder Recipe
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Why It Works
- A blend of dried whole chilies gives you better flavor than any dried-chili powder.
- Simmering the chilies and puréeing them eliminates any gritty texture.
Whether you're making real Texas-style chile con carne (no beans, please!); a quick weeknight ground-beef-and-canned-bean chili; or even a vegan or vegetarian version, the best thing you can do to up your chili game is to leave those jars of pre-ground chili powder on the shelf. Starting your chili with real, honest-to-goodness whole dried chilies will save you money, while adding layer upon layer of complex flavor that you never thought was possible.
Recipe Facts
Ingredients
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3 whole sweet fresh dried chilies, such as costeño, New Mexico, or choricero, stems and seeds removed
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2 small hot dried chilies, such as árbol or cascabel, stems and seeds removed
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3 whole rich, fruity dried chilies, such as ancho, mulato, negro, or pasilla, stems and seeds removed
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2 whole chipotle dried chilies canned in adobo sauce, plus 2 tablespoons (30ml) sauce
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1 quart (950ml) homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken stock
Directions
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Place chilies on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high at 15-second intervals until hot, pliable, and toasted-smelling, about 30 seconds total.
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Combine all chilies in a medium saucepan and add chicken broth. Simmer over medium-high heat until chilies are completely tender, about 10 minutes. Alternatively, place chilies and chicken broth in a 2-quart microwave-safe container, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high power until liquid is simmering, about 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Transfer to a countertop blender or hand blender cup and blend until completely smooth.
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Store chili paste in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Alternatively, divide paste into ice cube trays, freeze, and transfer frozen chili paste cubes into freezer bags to store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Special equipment
Countertop blender or hand blender
Notes
Chili purée can be substituted about 4:1 for chili powder (i.e., use four tablespoons of purée for every tablespoon of powder called for in a recipe). It can be stored by freezing it in an ice cube tray, popping out the cubes, and placing them in a freezer bag for up to six months.
This Recipe Appears In
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
3 | Calories |
0g | Fat |
0g | Carbs |
0g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings: 64 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 3 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 0g | 0% |
Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 35mg | 2% |
Total Carbohydrate 0g | 0% |
Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
Total Sugars 0g | |
Protein 0g | |
Vitamin C 0mg | 1% |
Calcium 3mg | 0% |
Iron 0mg | 0% |
Potassium 21mg | 0% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |