Best Vietnamese Style Sate Chile Sauce Recipes

SA Tế (VIETNAMESE LEMONGRASS CHILI SAUCE)

Steps:

• Cut the chili so that you're left with just the red part of the plant and put them in the oven preheated at 180°C (356°F) to roast for 10 minutes or until dehydrated. Put them in a bowl to cool when ready.Tip: Line the tray with foil to prevent any sticking.
• Meanwhile, finely chop the garlic, red shallots and galangal.
• Chop the lemongrass roughly into 1-2 cm (0.4-0.8") segments.
• Use a food processor to blitz the lemongrass, then pour into a bowl and set aside for later.
• Repeat the previous step with the roasted chilis.
• Pour the annatto seeds into 2 US cup oil in a saucepan and keep the heat on low to infuse the color into the oil for 3-5 minutes or until red. Use a sieve to strain the seeds from the oil into a bowl.
• In a new saucepan or wok, combine 1 US cups oil with the star anise and Chinese cinnamon bark on low heat for 2 minutes or until the aromatics begin to bubble.
• Remove the star anise and Chinese cinnamon bark and add the chopped garlic, red shallots and galangal to brown for 1 minute.
• Pour in the lemongrass, chili, dried chili flakes, fish sauce, salt, sugar and chicken bouillon powder and stir for 10 minutes or until golden.
• Pour in the annatto seed oil and stir to combine for 1 minute.
• Let it cool and store in airtight containers to be enjoyed with your meals!

VIETNAMESE SATE SAUCE (SốT SA Tế)

Steps:

• Place lemongrass and dried shrimps (if using) in a food chopper (or small food processor) and process into quite fine pieces. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Place shallots, garlic, galangal and both types of chilis in the food chopper (or food processor) and also process into quite fine pieces. Be careful not to process into a paste. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Heat oil over medium heat in a pot. Then add the processed lemongrass and dried shrimps. Cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lemongrass has reduced in volume and taken on just a bit of color.
• Add the processed shallots, garlic, galangal and chilis to the pot. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all ingredients have softened, the sauce looks red and you can smell it. You may need to reduce the heat slightly if needed.
• Add salt, sugar and soy sauce and continue to cook for another 8-10 minutes to let all flavors combine and the sauce has a very rich color. Adjust seasonings to taste.
• Transfer the sauce to a bowl or container and let it cool completely. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it can last for weeks.

VIETNAMESE-STYLE SATE CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• 1) Food process the garlic, shallots and lemon grass separately. (An electric mini-chopper works very well for this task.) Get the garlic and shallots to a fine mince, and the lemon grass well processed, but not to powder. 2) Put 14 tablespoons (that's 1 cup less 2 tablespoons) oil in a small saucepan and add garlic. Heat over medium low and after the mixture starts bubbling and making sizzling sounds, lower the heat to the low. Let fry on low, low heat for 5 minutes. 3) Add the shallot and keep frying on low heat for 10 minutes more. It should gently sizzle without browning. 4) Add the lemongrass and let fry on low for another 10-15 minutes, until the lemongrass is fragrant, toasty, and has sunken into the oil. 5) Add the minced fresh chiles and fry for 5 minutes to release their oil and turn the mixture pale orange. 6) Add the crushed red pepper and fry for 5-10 minutes, until there's a nutty, spicy smelling heat. 7) Stir in the Sriracha to achieve the desired color -- orange red. About 3 to 4 tablespoons should do it. Then stir in the fish sauce, sugar, salt, and MSG. Adjust the heat to lightly bubble and let cook 1 or 2 minutes longer. 8) Turn off the heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust with a little more sugar to tame the heat, fish sauce or salt for savoriness, or a bit more Sriracha for extra heat. If you add sugar, warm up the mixture and stir it to dissolve the sugar. There should be a layer of oil floating on top to cover. If not, add more oil as needed to barely cover the top. For a smoother texture, use a stick blender or food processor to grind the mixture finely. Allow to cool completely before transferring to a jar. Store at room temperature for daily use or in the refrigerator for infrequent use and longer keeping.