Here's the "boring" (in my opinion) original:
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 lemongrass stalks, outer leaves removed, finely chopped
1 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 chili, finely chopped
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
1 Tbsp tomato ketchup
1.5 C water
Heat the vegetable oil in a small pot over low heat until hot. Add the next eight ingredients and saute for 7-8 minutes without coloring.
Add the red pepper and continue cooking gently for 8-10 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Blitz in a blender or food processor.
**************************
Here's what I ended up doing, taking your advice to add more lemongrass and chili and let it sit overnight:
(** are tweaked items)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
**4 lemongrass stalks, outer leaves removed, finely chopped
**1" square chunk of fresh ginger, minced
**1/2 Jalapeno, finely chopped
**1/2 Serrano, finely chopped
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
**3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
**1/2 tsp Chinese chili/garlic sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar (possibly omitting next time)
1 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce (omitting next time)
1 Tbsp tomato ketchup (omitting next time)
1.5 C water
**2 TBL of a bottled ginger/garlic soy sauce added at the end.
This version was much better...bitier and more aromatic. BUT NEXT TIME, I'm going to completely skip the sweet elements: sugar, ketchup and sweet chili sauce.
The first phase of sauteeing veggies smelled amazing, but as soon as the tomato items were added, their cloying sweetness took over. Suddenly, the citrusy aromatics from the lemongrass and ginger were gone! Lost! In fact, the overwhelming ketchup aroma almost made me toss the batch...and it was only 1 TBL.
Obviously I hate ketchup in this particular scenario.
I also let it sit overnight to develop the flavors, which ended up more vibrant and rounded. Still too sweet for my personal taste, but I know how to work that out now.
I used a stick blender to lightly pulse the minced vegetables.
Served over soba noodles with sauteed shrimp and steamed edamame/carrot coins.
Many thanks for your help in solving this riddle!
(barb, try this. I think you'll like it. Leave the in-laws at home.)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 lemongrass stalks, outer leaves removed, finely chopped
1 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 chili, finely chopped
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
1 Tbsp tomato ketchup
1.5 C water
Heat the vegetable oil in a small pot over low heat until hot. Add the next eight ingredients and saute for 7-8 minutes without coloring.
Add the red pepper and continue cooking gently for 8-10 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Blitz in a blender or food processor.
**************************
Here's what I ended up doing, taking your advice to add more lemongrass and chili and let it sit overnight:
(** are tweaked items)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
**4 lemongrass stalks, outer leaves removed, finely chopped
**1" square chunk of fresh ginger, minced
**1/2 Jalapeno, finely chopped
**1/2 Serrano, finely chopped
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
**3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
**1/2 tsp Chinese chili/garlic sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar (possibly omitting next time)
1 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce (omitting next time)
1 Tbsp tomato ketchup (omitting next time)
1.5 C water
**2 TBL of a bottled ginger/garlic soy sauce added at the end.
This version was much better...bitier and more aromatic. BUT NEXT TIME, I'm going to completely skip the sweet elements: sugar, ketchup and sweet chili sauce.
The first phase of sauteeing veggies smelled amazing, but as soon as the tomato items were added, their cloying sweetness took over. Suddenly, the citrusy aromatics from the lemongrass and ginger were gone! Lost! In fact, the overwhelming ketchup aroma almost made me toss the batch...and it was only 1 TBL.
Obviously I hate ketchup in this particular scenario.
I also let it sit overnight to develop the flavors, which ended up more vibrant and rounded. Still too sweet for my personal taste, but I know how to work that out now.
I used a stick blender to lightly pulse the minced vegetables.
Served over soba noodles with sauteed shrimp and steamed edamame/carrot coins.
Many thanks for your help in solving this riddle!
(barb, try this. I think you'll like it. Leave the in-laws at home.)