Sepen is the ubiquitous Tibetan hot sauce on every household table, dried or fresh chili pounded with garlic and salt, usually rounded out with tomato and sometimes Sichuan pepper, ginger or cilantro. It is the fire that lifts the plateau's mild breads and stews, the indispensable dip for momos, thukpa noodles and sha balep.
Sharp, garlicky heat tempered by sweet tomato and fresh herbs, equally good raw and bright or cooked into a mellow paste. A small spoonful electrifies plain momos, noodles or rice without overwhelming them.
Chilies provide the heat while tomato and onion add body and sweetness that round off the sharpness. Pounding or blending bursts the cell walls so the flavors meld into a spoonable sauce.
Variations
fresh green-chili sepen, cooked tomato-chili version, dry chili-and-salt blend, with Sichuan pepper or dried Tibetan cheese
On the Palate
Where Sepen sits in the Tibetan flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 8How it's made
8 steps · 15 min
- 15 min
Soak dried red chilies in hot water until softened, or use fresh chilies.
Watch outSoak the dried chilies until they bend without cracking and the skins plump up — brittle chilies won't pound into a smooth paste.
- 23 min
Roughly chop tomato, onion, garlic and fresh coriander.
- 32 min
Pound or blend the chilies with garlic and a little salt into a paste.
Watch outPound until the chilies and garlic break into a coarse wet paste that holds together — that's when the flavors have actually melded, not just chopped.
- 42 min
Add the tomato and onion and blend to your preferred texture.
- 51 min
Stir in chopped coriander and a squeeze of acidity if you like.
- 66 min
For a cooked version, simmer the blend briefly to mellow and thicken it.
Watch outIf cooking it, simmer only until the raw sharpness fades and it just thickens — over-cooking dulls the fresh coriander lift.
- 71 min
Adjust salt and chili heat to taste.
- 81 min
Spoon into a bowl and serve alongside momos, noodles or rice.
