How to make chili sauce

The principal ingredient of chili sauce is chili. There are hundreds of varieties of chili peppers. The original and still favorite type for chili is the ancho. To add confusion to the issue, ancho chilies, when green, are known as poblanos. But we are dealing here with the ancho, which comes to market dried. It will be dark, reddish brown and look a lot like a run-over bat. However, when reduced to powder or reconstituted with water it makes wonderful chili.

Only the traditionalists still make chili from ancho pulp. This requires removing seeds and stems from the dried pods, soaking them in hot water and then removing the pulp with a food mill. Just too much work for the average cook.

The chili powder we buy to make our bowl of red is actually a "chili blend" or spice mix. It contains among other things, cumin, oregano and garlic. A pure chili powder without the added seasonings is "chile molido".

The cumin starts life as comino seeds -- tiny seeds that are very aromatic and pungent. Cumin is simply ground comino seeds. Comino can be used in the chili, although most folks prefer the cumin. If you want to try the comino, toast the seeds in a heavy skillet before you add them to the pot. If you have a way to grind the seeds, toast them first and then grind them. It really improves the flavor. Cumin is the spice that gives chili its heavily distinctive aroma.

Red pepper or cayenne is what puts the bite in your chili. Cayenne has what is called a "back bite." That is, it takes a few seconds before it grabs your taste buds. Most folk can't abide too much red pepper. Go easy on it to start.

Here's a starting recipe for chili novices. This recipe will get you started on your way to becoming a fine chili chef. Experiment with the recipe. Try different brands of chili powder. If you end up with two favorite brands, mix them half-and-half and see what result that brings.

Garlic needs to go in the pot in the last half of the cooking process as it will lose its whomp if cooked too long. Oregano will become bitter with too much cooking, so it too needs to go in toward the end of the cooking time. Most of all, experiment. Read all the recipes you can find. This way you will be ready for that cool weather that demands CHILI!

Make Your Own Chili Sauce

1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs vinegar
dash of cloves
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbs chili powder

How to cook:

Simmer all of ingredients together for 5 minutes.