METHOD:

1. Wash the chillies and tomatoes, then dry. Cut the chillies in half and finely chop after removing and discarding the stalk end. For a hotter chilli paste include the seeds, for a milder heat discard the seeds. Roughly chop the tomatoes. Peel and dice the onion.

   Peel the garlic and ginger and chop finely or grate using a micro plane. If using the micro plane, make sure all the juice is included.

2. Gently heat the olive oil in a preserving pan or heavy bottom stainless steel saucepan. Add the onion, chilli, garlic and tomatoes and cook until the mixture has softened, and the onions are translucent. Stir occasionally.

   While this is cooking cover a fry pan with a thin layer of oil and place on medium heat. Fry the ginger, mustard seeds, turmeric, cumin and smoked paprika until fragrant. Stir occasionally.

3. Combine all the ingredients together in a saucepan – the fried spice and tomato mixtures, salt, sugar and vinegar. Simmer gently with the lid on until the mixture has broken down. Remove the lid and cook further to a thick paste consistency, if necessary. Stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking on the bottom of the pot.

4. Place sterilised jars on a wooden board to prevent the bottles from breaking. This is caused by the heat differential between a cold surface and the hot jars and sauce. 

   Use a funnel to ladle the paste into dry sterilised sealable bottles and fill to approximately 2.5 cm (1 inch) from the top.

5. Seal while hot. Allow to cool, wipe down the jars to remove any spillage and label. Store in a cool dark place in the kitchen or pantry. After opening keep in the fridge.

   Allow the paste to mature for 4 weeks before eating.

NOTES:

• Jars should be clean and hot with lids that are lined with a protective coating, which can withstand the corrosive action of the vinegar.
• The amount of garlic, fresh chilli and hot smoked paprika can be easily changed to suit your taste.
• The final potency of the chilli sauce will vary on the type of chilli and amount of seeds used. As a general rule the smaller the chilli the hotter or more potent.
• It is important to wash your hands thoroughly after handling and de-seeding chillies. Chilli oil is easily transferred from the chillies to hands. If you touch your eyes or any delicate areas, the chilli oil will be transferred on contact and create a burning sensation.
• Why is chilli so hot? The legendary heat comes from a natural compound, capsaicin, which develops and is concentrated in the white pith with some migrating to the seeds. The amount of capsaicin a chilli contains depends upon the chilli variety and growing condition. High temperatures and drought can increase capsaicin production as the chilli ripens.  When cooking, to control and reduce the amount of heat, use the most appropriate variety and amount of chilli, remove as much or little of the white membrane and seeds and vary the length of contact time with other ingredients while cooking to suit your taste.
• Chilli heat or pungency is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU) which was developed in 1912. The higher the Scoville rating the hotter the chilli. The ubiquitous Jalapeno varies between 2,500 – 10,000 SHU which is mild compared to the Habanero and Scotch Bonnets 80,000 – 150,000 SHU or the hottest chilli in the world, the Carolina Reaper, which has been measured at 2million SHU! Aptly named the Reaper; use with extreme caution. 
• Cooking times are an approximation only. They are provided as a guideline as cooking times are influenced by the type, diameter and height of the saucepan, speed of cooking and fruit ripeness, size and moisture level. 
• Use good quality pickling salt when making pickles and preserves. Many brands of commercial salts contains stabilisers and anti-caking agents and often iodide which forms a whitish haze and sediment. These additives and in particular iodine can affect the appearance and taste of pickles and preserves during the maturation and storage period. The ingestion of a cocktail of anti-caking chemicals such as calcium silicate, sodium silicoaluminate, tricalcium phosphate, magnesium carbonate, silicon dioxide and yellow prussate of soda, is also unnecessary. Read the label before buying and look for salt that is free from any artificial additives. My favourite salt is Olsson Cooking Salt. No commercial benefit is received from Olsson Salt. 
• Good quality jars should be used in all preserving, particularly when they are processed in a hot water bath. Thin jars often cannot withstand the temperatures and may crack either in the bath or on and or after removal. Avoid the disappointment and invest in some good jars from a homewares or preserves outlet. Select jars that have non-reactive lids as the vinegar solution can cause the lids to rust over time. 
• Always store preserves in a cool dark place. A warm area can cause it to ferment, and bright sunlight can affect the colour.