Pasta de Ají Mirasol & Ají Panca

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 lb (½ kg) dried ají mirasol or

Preparation

Stem, seed and devein the ajíes. (For a very spicy paste you can keep some of the veins.) Toast them in a dry skillet over high heat for a few minutes and then blanche them. Depending on the amount of spiciness you want your paste to have you can blanche just once, or two or three times (in a change of water each time). The spiciness will reduce with each blanching.