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Here’s a real-life tragedy that many foodies in India didn’t know they’ve been through. While we have all taken to love Momos and other aspects of Tibetan cooking, many of us haven’t really met Sepen. Sure, you might have eaten that chilli sauce Momo vendors across the country give plenty of, along with mayonnaise to dull the taste of the hot chillies. But no, not all those chilli sauce versions are truly Sepen. If you want to meet this stellar hot sauce from Tibet, you’ll have to travel to places like Dharamshala or Darjeeling or Gangtok—or at least Majnu Ka Tilla in Delhi. Or, if you are lucky enough, a friend from the region will introduce you to the red chutney with a giant kick.
In my case, the introduction to Sepen was made by a friend from Darjeeling while I was at university. Coming back to the hostel after a summer break always meant we were brimming with food gifts from home, and my friend Marina brought back two jars of Sepen knowing two things. My roomie and our common friend loves everything that’s hot and spicy. And I love tasting things even though I have a very low tolerance for heat. So, my first reaction after meeting Sepen during a Delhi July was incessant watering of the eyes, a bout of coughing and the insistence that I want more, but with some rice, please!
Yes, true Sepen is really that hot. Too hot to handle unless paired with the right thing, in fact. That’s why Marina ensured that we had some Tingmomos, or Tibetan steamed bread, with our next taste of Sepen. Soon, we took to flavouring everything from Thukpas to that bland dal-chawal from the hostel mess with Sepen. We were soon so much in love with Sepen that those two jars lasted just three weeks! Of course, this meant I had to learn how to make my own and a recipe was called for. My friend’s mother obliged, and since, I have always whipped up Sepen at home.
If you love food with some heat, then trying this Sepen recipe is a must. It’s very easy to cook up and store, but you do have to be careful while handling it. Even a speck of it in your eyes can give you blurred vision or worse, and Sepen shouldn’t be anywhere around when you have cuts in your fingers or hands. That apart, the recipe is pretty easy. Here you go.
Ingredients:
1 cup dried small red chillies like Dalle or Lhasa
1 tsp Sichuan or black peppercorns
3-4 garlic cloves
1 small ginger
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp sesame oil
Salt, to taste
3-4 coriander stems (optional)
Method:
1. Soak the dried red chillies in cold water overnight. In the morning, drain and discard the water.
2. Heat sesame oil in a pan.
3. Add the cumin seeds, ginger, garlic and peppercorns.
4. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes to release the aroma.
5. Transfer the chillies and the garlic mix into a blending jar.
6. You can also chop the coriander stems and add them at this stage.
7. Blend the mix to get a thick, red Sepen sauce.
8. Transfer the Sepen into a clean, dry and airtight jar. Store in a cool and dry space.
