A sauce for a thousand uses

I don't make anywhere near as much sauces or dips as I would like to. I always tend to forget about them when I write my weekly shopping list. I find a decent sauce/dip can be used for so much more than a dip - I love to toss them into anything they go with or enhance. Just as a fantastically flavoured/infused oil can be the star secret ingredient in a salad dressing, so can a dollop of sauce in a bubbling stew or stirred into cooked grains can add a fantastic level of depth.
Recently I made a thick sauce of chilli, honey, lime and galangal. It was simple to make and thus acted as a reminder to me to not forget the importance of a few jars of home-made sauces lurking in the back of a fridge.

A sweet sauce of lime, galangal and chilli

Makes a large jar

- red and green chillies, 15-20

- a decent chunk of galangal, grated

- juice of two limes

- honey, 4 tbsp

- dash of black pepper

Finely chop the chillies and toss into a medium saucepan along with the other ingredients. Heat until it appears to be about to boil then reduce to a simmer for ten to twenty minutes till thickened (it may take a bit longer). When it has reached the desired consistency, remove from the heat and pour into a clean jar. Allow to cool then refrigerate. Best used within a few days to a week I'd imagine.