I begin by sterilizing my glass jars in boiling water for 10 minutes. While my jars are sterilizing, I clean my bird's eye chilies (siling labuyo) and remove their stems. I peel and mince 3 whole heads of garlic.

I create my chili paste by placing the cleaned chilies in my blender with ½ cup of oil. I blend until I achieve a coarse paste texture, then set this mixture aside.

I heat the remaining oil in my heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. I add all my minced garlic and stir continuously for about 3-5 minutes. I watch carefully to prevent burning because burnt garlic will make the sauce bitter.

I lower my heat to low and carefully add my chili paste mixture to the toasted garlic. If I'm using dried shrimp, I add it at this point. I allow the mixture to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

During the simmering process, I add my salt, pepper, and sugar to balance the flavors. I continue cooking until I see the oil separate from the solids and turn a deep red color. This takes 20-25 minutes total cooking time.

I remove my sauce from heat and let it cool completely.

I transfer my cooled sauce to the sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of space at the top. I seal the jars tightly and store them in my refrigerator. For best results, I consume within 3 months.