Quick Chili Relleno Style Sauce

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Hot thick red chili Relleno sauce fills a jam jar.

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This quick chili relleno style sauce lends a spicy lift to any Tex–Mex style dish. Rich and delicious and so easy to make, with no need for a roux. Use this spicy sauce on chiles rellenos and enchilladas, in a fast and fabulous cheat's chili con carne, or simply to spice up grilled meat.

Servings: makes 250ml / 1 cup

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time2

Cook Time8

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1–2 tsp chili powder - adjust according to heat
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp oregano
240 ml broth/stock - vegetable or chicken/beef
2 tbsp tomato paste / purée
2 tsp cornflour
squeeze of lemon juice - optional

Metric - USA Cups

Instructions

Put the oil, spices, salt and oregano in a pan. Lightly fry for a minute, stirring all the time, until the spices are fragrant. Take care not to overheat and burn them.
1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1–2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp oregano, ½ tsp salt
Add the broth and tomato paste. Stir well. Bring to a simmer.
240 ml broth/stock, 2 tbsp tomato paste / purée
Add 2 teaspoons of cold water to the cornflour/cornstarch, to make a"slurry". Add this to the sauce, stirring well to avoid any lumps. Continue to cook, stirring all the time until the sauce starts to thicken.
2 tsp cornflour
Gently simmer over a low heat, stirring all the time. Make sure you scrape the bottom and corners of the pan well as you stir, because the sauce will thicken faster in the hotter parts of the pan.
When the sauce is ready, it will be shiny and coat the back of a spoon. You can stir in a squeeze of lemon juice or a dash of vinegar/pickle juice if you like, to enhance the flavours.
squeeze of lemon juice
Use immediately or pour your chili relleno sauce into a jar to store. I use a jam funnel to avoid splashes and spills. Once the sauce has cooled, you can keep it in the fridge.

Notes

Storage

Fridge – This sauce keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for 5 days.

Freezer – Put the sauce in a sealable tub and freeze. Defrost and reheat in a pan on the stove top, or microwave. Either way, give it a really good stir, as it can slightly separate. Once heated, it will return to the original texture.

Hints and tips

This recipe is adaptable. Play with the seasoning and make it your own. Adjust the heat up or down to taste.

Don't try to add the dry cornflour to a sauce. Slake it with water and make a paste or slurry, then combine with the hot liquid and keep stirring. This is a really useful technique for making sauces but it will go horribly wrong if you use dry cornflour/starch.

Not all spices are the same! The strength and depth of flavour will vary with brand and how long they have been in the cupboard. If you know your spices have been in the cupboard for a couple of years, use a little extra (or better still, buy fresh!).

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.