Pipis with Sweet Habanero and Spinach
Paul Carmichaelʼs Pipis with Sweet Habanero and Spinach recipe tastes incredible. See ingredients & method below.
Ingredients
Chicken Stock
- 1 kg chicken bones (necks, backs, wings)
- 3 L cold water
Sweet Habanero Paste
- 200 g flat pancetta (diced)
- 1 cup deep-fried shallots (see tips)
- 1/4 cup deep-fried garlic (see tips)
- 1 tbsp red miso paste
- 1/3 cup tamarind paste (see tips)
- 2.5 cm knob of ginger (grated)
- 1/3 cup demerara sugar
- 100 ml water
- 100 ml anchovy extract
- 10 small dried red chillies (crushed)
- 1 habanero chilli (minced)
Bringing it all together
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 kg pipis (purged, see tips)
- 3 jalapeño chillies (sliced diagonally)
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup sweet habanero paste (or to taste)
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves (loosely packed)
- 2 cups baby spinach (washed)
Method
You will need to allow an extra two hours for the chicken stock to boil.
Chicken Stock
- Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.
- Add 1 kg chicken bones, return to the boil, then drain and rinse under cold water. This removes most of the impurities from the bones.
- Place bones into a large saucepan with 3 litres of cold water.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and skim off any froth that has formed on the surface.
- Simmer gently for 2 hours, skimming occasionally.
- Strain stock through a fine sieve lined with a muslin cloth, discarding the bones.
- Chill stock and remove any fat on the surface before use.
Sweet Habanero Paste
- Place 200 g pancetta in a frying pan over medium heat and fry for about five minutes, until crisp.
- Add all remaining ingredients and fry for 5-7 minutes, until the mixture thickens.
- Allow the paste to cool slightly then blend in a food processor.
- Store refrigerated for up to 1 month.
Bringing it all together
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add 2 garlic cloves and fry for a minute or so, until fragrant and just starting to colour.
- Add 2 kg pipis and ½ cup chicken stock, cover and cook for about 2 minutes, shaking the pan often.
- Remove the pipis and place into a bowl as they open. If any remain unopened after a few minutes, remove them from the pan and pry them open over the sink, if they look and smell good, add them to the bowl, otherwise discard them.
- Add 3 jalapeños and ¼ cup sweet habanero paste and mix well.
- Taste and add 1 cup of basil and 2 cups of spinach.
- Stir until spinach has wilted then return pipis to pan with any juices.
Recipe tips from Paul Carmichael.-
Recipe tips from Paul Carmichael.-
“Pipis are usually sold ‘purged’ to remove sand and grit, however if buying them loose, it’s still a good idea to place them in a large bowl of cool salted water and sea salt (30 g salt per litre of water) for several hours or overnight, at room temperature, to get rid of any remaining sand (if you refrigerate them they’ll close up and won’t ‘spit out’ the sand). If they are vac-packed, they are best stored in their packaging until ready to use.”
“To make deep-fried shallots and garlic, finely slice and deep-fry in vegetable oil until crisp and golden: the oil should be hot enough that they don’t go soggy, but not too hot as they need to cook for a few minutes to get an even golden colour. Stir regularly so steam can escape (this also helps them stay crisp); drain on a paper towel until needed.”
“Make the tamarind paste by dissolving a tablespoon of tamarind pulp in ¼ cup of warm water. Work the paste into the water and then strain through a fine sieve, pressing down to remove as much tamarind as possible.”
Pipis are usually sold ‘purged’ to remove sand and grit, however if buying them loose, it’s still a good idea to place them in a large bowl of cool salted water and sea salt (30 g salt per litre of water) for several hours or overnight, at room temperature, to get rid of any remaining sand (if you refrigerate them they’ll close up and won’t ‘spit out’ the sand). If they are vac-packed, they are best stored in their packaging until ready to use.
- Pipis are usually sold ‘purged’ to remove sand and grit, however if buying them loose, it’s still a good idea to place them in a large bowl of cool salted water and sea salt (30 g salt per litre of water) for several hours or overnight, at room temperature, to get rid of any remaining sand (if you refrigerate them they’ll close up and won’t ‘spit out’ the sand). If they are vac-packed, they are best stored in their packaging until ready to use.
- To make deep-fried shallots and garlic, finely slice and deep-fry in vegetable oil until crisp and golden: the oil should be hot enough that they don’t go soggy, but not too hot as they need to cook for a few minutes to get an even golden colour. Stir regularly so steam can escape (this also helps them stay crisp); drain on a paper towel until needed.
- Make the tamarind paste by dissolving a tablespoon of tamarind pulp in ¼ cup of warm water. Work the paste into the water and then strain through a fine sieve, pressing down to remove as much tamarind as possible.
