Ai manas part two

So here is that post about the ai manas - the delicious Timorese chili I wrote about last week. I searched for it high and low on my way to the airport on Saturday and finally found a plastic water bottle full of the stuff at a little road side stall. It cost a dollar.


You can make ai manas by grating a lot of really hot small red chilis, chopping fresh limes into small pieces, chopping some onions very finely, mixing it all together and adding some salt. It needs to rest for a few days, so the flavors can meld together and then it's an absolute show stopper. I keep eating and eating it, even when it really hurts because it's so damn hot.

I'm in Bali now - my favorite place in the world. Off to Australia tomorrow to see family and friends. I wonder if I can sneak that bottle of ai manas through...