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Thinly slice , smash with the flat of a knife, julienne , and slice if you want the heat in. Crack coarsely — a heavy pinch of gravelly bits, not powder. You want the pepper to bite, not just season. Put in a small heavy pan with 2 tbsp and set it over medium heat. Swirl, do not stir, until it melts, foams and turns the colour of dark tea — a couple of shades deeper than caramel sauce, but never black, which is bitter. This is nước màu caramel, the nước màu. Pull it off the heat the moment it hits colour.
Cut the chilli last or your fingers will find your eyes before dinner.
Sugar burns in seconds once it foams. Keep your face back and have the pan off the heat before it smells acrid.
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Red chillies
- Black peppercorns
- Sugar
- Water
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