Thai Roasted Dried Chile Powder (Prikk Pow Poun)

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried chiles
• sea salt

Method

• In a 12" skillet, dry roast the dried chiles over medium heat, shaking the skillet or tossing and stirring with a wooden spatula to ensure even heating, until blackened. Adding a bit of sea salt to the skillet helps to cut down the fumes. Take out of the pan and cool completely.
• In a food processor, fitted with a steel blade, add the chiles and process until they turn to powder. Let the mixture settle a bit before removing the lid and take off the lid at arms length with your face turned outward if possible (try not to inhale the fine dust). Carefully transfer to a glass jar and seal with a tight-fitting lid. Store at room temperature up to a year. (Remember that it is slightly salty when you are cooking).

Notes

• Description:
• "This is very strong...turn on the exhaust fan before starting and
• make sure your kitchen is well ventilated. After you are finished
• inside, boil 1 cup of vinegar and 4 cups of water in a saucepan for at
• least 30 minutes to clean the air."
• Yield:
• "1 cup"