If you’re feeling hungry but don’t want to deal with complicated cooking, this "quick fermented fish chili paste" recipe will transform your ordinary meal into a spicy delight. Forget the usual hours-long process of roasting chilies and pounding curry pastes—this recipe only takes 5 minutes.
Guaranteed to be richly flavorful with the fragrant scent of fermented fish, it’s perfect mixed into hot steamed rice or as a dip for fresh vegetables, boiled vegetables, omelets, boiled eggs, or fried fish. Whatever you have in your fridge, this will get eaten up quickly. Get your mortar, pestle, and appetite ready, then let’s get started.
Pound the aromatics: Place the chilies, shallots, and garlic into the mortar and pound roughly—no need to make it fine, just enough to release the aroma.
Seasoning: Add the cooked fermented fish sauce, then lime juice, a little fish sauce (start with a small amount), and the tip of a spoonful of palm sugar.
Mix: Use the pestle to gently stir or lightly pound until the sugar dissolves and all ingredients are well combined.
Serve: Spoon into a bowl and garnish with chopped culantro or green onions to enhance the aroma.
For more fragrance, lightly roast the chilies, shallots, and garlic in a pan over low heat before pounding. This deepens the aroma significantly.
For a richer taste, add about 1 teaspoon of roasted rice powder at the end to thicken the chili paste and bring out the roasted flavor. Those wanting texture can add the meat from steamed or grilled mackerel to the mortar and pound it together for an irresistibly delicious result.
Serving suggestions for fermented fish chili pasteEnjoy this chili paste with hot steamed rice and a soft-boiled egg, along with side dishes like cucumber, long beans, pea eggplants, fresh cabbage, or boiled vegetables such as pumpkin, zucchini, or Chinese cabbage. It also pairs perfectly with fried dishes like crispy fried fish, fried pork, grilled chicken, or even just a fluffy omelet.