Roasted black sesame seeds ground with green chilli and ginger into a pungent paste — the signature Khasi condiment used as a sauce for dipping boiled meat and rice.
Ingredients
1/2 cup black sesame seeds (kala til / iong)
3 to 4 fresh green chillies
1 inch ginger — roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp mustard oil
1 tsp lemon juice
2 to 3 tbsp water — only if needed to grind
Method
Dry-roast black sesame seeds in a pan on medium heat stirring constantly for 4 to 5 minutes until they pop and smell deeply nutty.
Cool completely — warm sesame does not grind as well.
Dry-roast whole green chillies in a dry pan or over a flame until slightly charred and blistered.
Dry-roast garlic cloves and ginger briefly until golden spots appear. Cool.
Grind the cooled black sesame seeds in a blender or mortar to a coarse paste.
The natural sesame oil will be released and the paste will be almost black in colour.
Add the roasted green chillies, garlic and ginger.
Grind together to a coarse paste.
Add salt, mustard oil and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly.
Taste — it should be deeply nutty (black sesame), pungent (roasted chilli and garlic), sharp (ginger) and slightly tangy (lemon).
Add water 1 tbsp at a time only if the paste is too dry to use as a sauce.