Chili is an ingredient that has been used in our kitchens for many years. The use of chili is still in existence and it is being used in hotels and restaurants to add heat and flavor to various foods and dishes. Finding chili paste in markets is not easy and that is why many people opt to use substitutes of this kitchen ingredient. Substitutes perform the same functions and provide great results just like a chili paste does. Some of the perfect substitutes for chili paste include the following.
1. Hot Sauce
You can use a bottle of your favorite hot sauce as a substitute for chili paste. However, the consistency is not as thick as that of a chili paste but the flavor and the heat it provides is just like that of chili paste. This makes hot sauce an easy replacement for the chili paste. Hot sauce is mainly made from chili peppers, vinegar, and salt. When selecting a hot sauce, you should consider going for a thicker sauce and not a thinner one.
2. Ketchup with ground Cayenne paper
Ketchup has a consistency which is the same as that of chili paste. When the cayenne paper is added to ketchup, it becomes a suitable replacement for the chili paste. All you need to do is to add two tablespoons of cayenne paper to one tablespoon of ketchup and use it as your chili paste replacement. You can increase or reduce the quantity to one which is suitable for your needs.
3. Crushed red pepper flakes
This chili paste substitute is made from dead cayenne paper that has been crushed. These flakes have large numbers of seeds, which makes a very hot sauce. This makes it full of heat and flavor just as a chili paste.
4. Tomato Paste
Tomato paste is also a perfect substitute. Although you will not get the same taste, you are guaranteed of the same consistency. You can consider adding some hot chili to your tomato paste to get the same flavor as that of the chili paste. Alternatively, you can process the tomato paste with chopped hot peppers in the food processor.
5. Make your own chili paste
You can also improvise and make your own chili at home. It is not as hard as many people think. You can choose between using fresh or dried peppers in making your own chili. If you are using fresh pepper, you can grind it in a food processor and add ingredients such as onion, garlic, and other seasonings. There is no specific chili to us here as any can do, but cayenne pepper is most preferred. As for dried peppers, you can start by removing the seeds and stems. Then soak the pepper in warm water to make it soft, then work it out in the food processor until it forms a paste.
Summary
Chili pastes are thick in nature and have an intense flavor. You can make a chili of your choice using any of the above substitutes at home.
