Kua Txob (Hmong hot pepper sauce)
This hot pepper sauce is a staple on Hmong tables and complements many dishes. Chef Yia suggests serving it on grilled fish, pork, or chicken.
Ingredients
- 1 cup roasted or smoked cherry tomatoes
- 5-8 Thai chilies
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 cups chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- salt to taste
Instructions
- To roast cherry tomatoes, toss whole tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread out on baking sheet and place under broiler for 15 minutes, or until roasted. Alternatively, cherry tomatoes can be smoked in a smoker.
- Put chilies and garlic in pestle and mortar; mash into a paste. Add cilantro and a pinch of salt; mash together with chilies and garlic. Add lime juice, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and roasted or smoked tomatoes. Stir until incorporated together. Taste and add salt, if desired
I love this sauce as is, but I wanted it to stick to the chicken I barbecued, so I added mayo and brushed on a couple of coats during the last 20 minutes on a low fire to get it golden. It was like an Alabama sauce fusion, and it was delicious!