Cumquat Chilli Sambal

Hainan chicken rice is traditionally served with bowls of two spicy accompaniments – a paste of finely minced spring onion and ginger in oil, and another paste made with fresh red chillies and ginger. While the convenience of a motorised blender is appealing, Cheong says the secret to making the chilli paste exceptional is plain hard work. ‘The longer you grind chopped chillies and ginger together in a stone mortar and pestle, the better it tastes. I add a whole chopped cumquat, skin and