The evil stuff

This afternoon I made some sinamak, or hot chili vinegar from my home province in the Philippines. Friends who've tried my version simply call it the evil stuff and tend to keep a wide berth after the first time. The kids won't touch it either, but T and I love it. Definitely an acquired taste.

Take the hottest chili peppers you can find. Thai birdseye chilis are best. Twist off the stems, rinse then dry them with a paper towel. Make a small lengthwise slit in each chili with the sharp point of a knife and slip the chilis into a clean bottle. Pour coconut or cane vinegar all the way to the top, cover with a cork and leave the bottle in a cool dark place to age for a few weeks. How many chilis you put in depends on the amount of heat you can stand, but as a rule you should put enough to make your scalp break into a sweat when you use it. Some people like to add slices of ginger, peppercorns and garlic cloves as well, but I prefer only chilis with coconut vinegar. White wine vinegar or cider vinegar are okay as substitutes.

Sinamak is used as a condiment. A generous slug makes a grilled pork chop unforgettable. I also like to dip steamed shrimp in it, or sprinkle some over the small spicy sausages called longganisa (recipe here) or dried fish that we have for breakfast with garlic fried rice, scrambled eggs, and sliced tomatoes.

Now I'm hungry.