Lemon Finadene- Guam BBQ Dipping Sauce

Like anywhere where there is smoke there is fire. And when there is fire there is BBQ. On Guam where there is BBQ there is finadene.

No BBQ on Guam would be complete without the island's favorite hot pepper dipping sauce, finadene. You can call it the Chamorro (indigenous people of Guam) salsa. It just has to be on the table.

There are many different types of finadene. We've got soy based, coconut, vinegar, lemon, etc. You can even combine a number of them together. This post is about lemon finadene.

Lemon Finadene is my favorite. The tartness of the lemon and the balance of the salt with the other ingredients just makes your taste buds pop and your mouth water when you've got the mixture right.

Believe me, you will know when it is right. Your mouth won't lie.

Here are the ingredients and steps to making this flavorful sauce.....

Ingredients are onion of choice, lemon, tomatoes (optional) garlic, freshly picked hot pepper and salt. 

For one small bowl use about 6-8 cloves of garlic. More if you love a lot of garlic. 

Slice and mince the garlic.

Dice up the tomatoes. I like the sweetness of cherry tomatoes.

Thinly slice the onions and then cut them into about 1 inch. pieces.

De-stem the fresh hot peppers and smash a few in the bowl just enough to get your attention!!!

Then continue this process with the rest of the ingredients blending all the flavors together.

Slice your lemons in half (these are Guam lemons not limes).

Squeeze the lemon juice into your bowl. Fill it up until just below the surface of the ingredients. Then add a little bit of water to balance out the lemon's tartness to your taste. Add salt, and don't be skimpy, to the mix until you can taste the mixture is right. You will know. As I stated earlier, your taste buds and mouth will just water when its right.

Here is the finished product.

You can dip your slices of meat in this or pour it over your BBQ. If you BBQ a whole fish, make enough so that you can pour over the entire fish without drowning it (no pun intended).

I think that you may even find that you will probably head over to the cooler for an ice cold "cocktail", which for some reason seems to complete you wonderful meal.

Enjoy.

Until next time....