One of the most annoying things in my work as a recipe developer is titling the recipes—giving them appealing names. Nowadays it’s not enough to call a recipe by its name; you have to add a keyword that will lure people to the recipe. For example, “The Best Hot Sauce Ever“, or “My Grandmother’s Secret Recipe.” It must be a name that SEO approves of.
I told SEO, “I am not playing this game with you.” And the new god said, “Well, good luck then! I am not going to put your recipe anywhere near the top of Google search.” So I obeyed. Who doesn’t want to be in heaven? Earning money doing what you love is heaven.
The competition is fierce. Many days I’m on the verge of quitting—filming, photographing, writing, and posting is a lot of work!—but then I remind myself why I started in the first place. Mostly for myself and for my kids. I wanted to leave behind something valuable to my children. I wanted them to have my recipes, like I have my grandmother’s recipes. I wanted them to know a thing or two about their ancestors—their creative grandma and her delicious food. Just in case their parents are too busy to tell them or just forget. I want them to have access to the recipes whenever they want. I used to have to call my mother every day to ask her how she made this and that.
Maybe I’m being overly optimistic. Maybe my Gen Z boys won’t even have children of their own. Maybe they won’t carry on my culinary traditions, or maybe the blog won’t survive an apocalyptic crisis. Who knows?
The truth is that I haven’t made a penny from the blog since I started it seven years ago, yet I keep blogging. Without the challenge of writing and documenting our life—food is life—my brain would have deteriorated a long time ago. Also, I would feel empty like an old Coca-Cola bottle.
And you, my dear readers, you are what motivates me and keeps me positive. Knowing that my recipes make a difference in someone’s life is what keeps me going. Who wants to run a marathon without all the crowd cheering them on? Who wants to perform without an audience? I need you like a writer needs readers, like a cook needs people to feed.
Now, about this humble yet Truman Capote-sophisticated condiment. I called it a condiment, but it’s more than that. It’s also a marinade that turns any roasted vegetable into a serenade, and a chili oil that you add to braised dishes to make them sassy and spicy. It’s also a sauce that turns boring, grassy, steamed kale into a “Wow, this is amazing!” Don’t be afraid to make extra—it keeps in the fridge for up to 60 days.
Now go make this Easy To Make Homemade Spicy Condiment and let me know what you thought.
Here in Los Angeles, you can find dried Anaheim peppers, aka California chiles, in any supermarket. If you can’t find them, you can order them from amazon.
Easy To Make Spicy Condiment
Equipment
- 1 6oz. jar
- Blender
- scissors
Ingredients
- 5 dried Anaheim peppers - or another dried sweet peppers
- 1 bunch kale
- 3 small jalapeños - seeded and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- ¼ cup avocado or olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Cut the dried pepper stems with scissors and remove the seeds, and discard. Put in a medium metal or ceramic bowl and cover with boiled water. Place a plate, smaller than the bowl, over to keep the peppers submerged in the water for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, remove the kale’s stems and discard. Chop it roughly and steam for 5 minutes.
- Spin the soaked chiles in the salad spinner or squeeze them hard as you can to get rid of excess water, and put in the blender. Add the jalapeños, garlic, olive oil, and salt and blend until the sauce is smooth.
- Put the steamed kale in a bowl, add 1-2 tablespoons of the spicy mixture and toss. Serve as it is as a salad, mezze, side, or over a peanut butter toast.
- Store the rest in a jar in the fridge for up to 3 months (To avoid mold, don’t double dip and always use a clean spoon when using it).
