This condiment can be used to jazz up any prepared food, or use it as a stand-in for fresh garlic or chile peppers (or both) when marinating proteins or creating curry. With heat, acid and umami, it packs a punch. Our favorite use is on grilled tofu lettuce wraps. We like the more vibrant color that red Thai bird's eye chiles give the sauce, but green chiles work just as well.
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Salsa macha is a spicy condiment from Mexico, specifically the Veracruz region, made primarily of dried chile peppers and nuts and/or seeds. You might find a few variations across Mexico, but this one has straightforward simplicity and easy-to-procure ingredients. Also, the use of dried chipotles means it has some intense heat. Use salsa macha as a dip for chips, dollop it onto grilled fish, or stir it into other salsas, guacamole and even stews.
In years when hot peppers, like habaneros, grow in abundance, the best solution is to make a sauce that uses lots and can be shared or frozen for the cold winter nights ahead. The natural sweetness of peaches and carrots balances the heat of the chiles, while lime and vinegar add tang. Drizzle it over tacos or use it to marinate chicken wings.
This bright, herbaceous and subtly spicy chutney is packed with flavor. Try this chutney with dal and rice, on soup, alongside poached eggs or smeared on a sandwich.