Recipe: Orange and Chilli Dipping Sauce

On a recent trip to Crete, at The Botanical Park and Gardens, my fellow blogger Nayna and I were served some of the food we had made at a cooking class earlier. As a garnish on the Maratho Pita (Fennel Pie) was an orange and chilli dipping sauce.

The orange and chilli sauce was amazing, delicious and really fresh and orangey with a lovely back note of chilli. We asked the chef how he made it and it was incredibly simple.

A couple of days later, the day before we were due to leave we were given a couple of kilos of oranges from the owner of the restaurant we were having lunch at.

There are orange groves everywhere, their colour so tempting as you drive past.

My suitcase was really heavy but I managed to bring three oranges and one lemon home with me.

We ate one orange immediately as it was so fresh, juicy and sweet. I used the second orange to make the orange and chilli dipping sauce. Check out my recipe below for this really easy, delicious and versatile Sauce.

5 from 3 votes

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Cretan Orange and Chilli Dipping Sauce

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

20 mins

 

A dipping sauce made with the Cretan Oranges and chilli which is quick, versatile and delicious

Author: Heidi Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 large orange
• 2 litres cold water
• 2 kilos granulated sugar
• 2 whole red chillies (if dried soak prior to using)

Instructions

1. Put the cold water in a large saucepan and heat on a medium heat.

2. Add the granulated sugar and stir to disolve.

   

3. Add the orange and boil until the orange is soft enough for a skewer or knife to easily pierce.

   

4. Remove the orange and place in a blender with the chilli.

5. Add some of the orange sugar water and blitz until smooth.

   

6. Serve in a small bowl to dip or spread on a place beside the item you want to highlight.

   

I would love to know if you try this – please leave a comment below.

If you enjoyed reading this post you may like to read some more from my trip to Crete:-

Crete: Welcome to Crete

Crete: Olea Villas Chania near Loutraki Bay

Crete: Spending the Day with Handpicked Greece

Recipe: Cretan Orange Ice Cream

I was not required to write a positive post. As usual all opinions and photographs are my own. No photographs may be reproduced in any manner without my written permission.