Chez Fadi's Kitchen Helpers Part 3: Spicy Chili Paste

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The year 2021 is slowly drawing to a close, just a few more hours. It has been another year full of joy and sorrow, laughter and tears, but above all, it has been a year full of hope. Hope for the end of the pandemic, which has now lasted almost two years. I am grateful that my family, friends, and I are doing well so far, considering everything. I hope the same for you and your loved ones!

With that in mind, I wish you a happy and healthy start to the new year! May it be a year full of hope!

With love, Fadi

Just in time for the end of the year, I'm concluding my kitchen helper series: today, another sauce/paste. Chili paste , or as we call it in Cameroon , Piment or Purée de Piment .

This paste can be found in almost every household here. Cameroonian and West African cuisine is very flavorful and ranges from mildly spicy to hot. However, everyone has a different tolerance for spiciness. Therefore, the pepper paste served with meals, similar to how salt and pepper are used in other cultures. This allows everyone to season their food to their own taste.

Yes, "add more seasoning" is the right word, because Cameroonian chili paste isn't just made of chili and oil like you might expect. It's a blend of carefully selected, perfectly harmonizing spices, salt, and oil. This paste isn't just hot, it's bursting with flavor. It goes wonderfully with meat, fish, bread, or vegetables and is simply a must-have on any New Year's Eve buffet. At least in our house, this delicious, spicy sauce is always part of our traditional fondue chinoise sauce selection on New Year's Eve.

For this version, I chose a lemon chili variety. The fruity citrus flavor of this chili, paired with spices like coriander and lemon, is a delight for the taste buds.