Cilantro Chili Butter

by Alex Skaria, The Asian Barbecue Book: From Teriyaki to Tandoori

Reprinted with the express permission of Tuttle Publishing.

This butter was designed for those who love spice. This red pepper butter goes well with vegetables—especially mashed potatoes or corn on the cob—and any kind of meat. Add a little more or less Tabasco, depending on how much spice you like.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Makes ¹⁄₂ cup (135 g)

¹⁄₂ cup (125 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 to 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
Salt to taste

In a bowl, mix together the ingredients until combined. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving to allow the butter to set.

Tips for Making and Serving Flavored Butters: To sufficiently soften butter, remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before making flavored butters. If you’ve chilled the flavored butter for more than 20 minutes, remove the butter from the refrigerator to allow it to soften and warm slightly prior to serving. Flavored butters shouldn’t be served ice-cold as they will cool down grilled food.