Chilli soy

Ingredientsserves 1

Method

1. Wash the bird's-eye chilli and slice it into thin rings. Take out the seeds if you want it milder. Wash your hands after cutting it and keep them away from your eyes.
2. Put the chilli in your own saucer and pour in two tablespoons of light soy. Give it a minute or two and the heat comes through.
3. Set the heat yourself: another chilli for more, half a chilli for less, or a milder seeded red chilli. Children get a saucer of plain light soy.
4. This is the plainest saucer, for fish slices, fish balls and beef balls, and for anyone who wants to taste the fish itself. Add a little chopped garlic and it becomes garlic soy.
5. Cut the chilli on the night and use it that night; whatever is left in the saucer is thrown away. Chopsticks that have held raw meat never touch a saucer.

Take care

• Contains soy and wheat (light soy).
• Bird's-eye chilli is very hot: wash your hands after cutting it, and keep it out of children's saucers. A sauce does not make undercooked food safe.

The story

Chilli soy is nothing but light soy and chilli rings, the simplest saucer on the table. Plenty of Hong Kong people dip their fish slices and balls in nothing else, because it lets the food taste of itself.

Same kind

Garlic soySha cha and soySha cha with egg yolk

Lo Fo Tong is cultural food-heritage reference, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, unwell or on medication, talk to your doctor or registered practitioner before changing what is in the pot.