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Remove the stems and, with gloves on, chop the chillies into wide slices, then pack as tightly as possible into a jar.
Mix the salt with 250ml of lukewarm water and stir until fully dissolved, then pour over the chillies until they are just fully covered (you probably won’t need all the brine). Push down any that try to float – if you have a small weight it will be helpful here.
Seal the jar and leave it on a counter out of the sun, checking once a day for fizziness – once it begins, open the jar once a day to let any gas escape.
After it’s started fizzing the brine will cloud over, then a few days later the fizzing will stop, but it’s still fermenting. The longer you leave it, the better it will be, but as a guideline shoot for a minimum of 3 weeks and 12 or more if you want to really age it.
Taste it (gingerly!) to check if it’s ready – you’re looking for a sour, vinegary flavour.
Pour off and reserve the brine, and blend the chillies.
Slowly add back as much brine as you like to achieve the desired consistency – you can strain too if you’d like a smooth sauce.
Transfer to a jar or bottle and refrigerate – it will keep for several months.