Ají Picante (Colombian Hot Sauce). Esta receta también está disponible en Español.
Hot sauces you can find all over the world. Just to name a few: harissa from Morocco, sriracha from Thailand, tabasco from the US, and spicy sauce made of Scotch Bonnet in the Caribbean. Colombias version of hot sauce is called ají or ají picante (Colombian Spicy Sauce). Ají is both the name of the hot sauce as of the pepper itself. It belongs to the family of the capsicums, just like red pepper, jalapeño, habanero and chilipepper.
Ingredients
Throughout Colombia there are many versions of ají. For example non spicy ají made with sweet pepper, ají with egg, ají picante (or pique), and ají de aguacate. Although exact ingredients differ, they have in common that you make them with a (spicy) pepper, cilantro, onion and limejuice and/or vinegar.
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Use of Ají Picante (Colombian Hot Sauce)
The question is actually when not to use. Traditional Colombian recipes are generally not spicy. Therefore adding ají is a great way of adding flavor to your dish. Ají is a sauce you put on the table, not one you directly cook with. At traditional restaurants you often find a little plastic container with homemade ají on the table. You can add it to empanadas, to eggs for a spicy breakfast, or just as a condiment to a warm lunch or dinner.
Easy ají
The good thing about ají picante (Colombian Spicy Sauce) is that you don’t have to take the recipe that seriously. Use whatever pepper you can find, use a very spicy one or a medium one according to your taste. Instead of green onion you can also use white onion. Leave out the lime if you don’t have it and only use vinegar. The only thing that is important is the consistency of the sauce. It contains a lot more liquid (vinegar/lime and water) than for example a Mexican salsa. I like this recipe so much because I generally have most of the ingredients at home, and it is super easy to prepare. I always buy a little bag of peppers and keep them frozen, ready to use them when it is time to make ají.
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Ají Picante (Colombian Hot Sauce)
Ingredients
- 1 ají/pepper/chilipepper of your choice, finely chopped medium spicy to hot, according to taste
- 1 big and ripe tomato, finely chopped
- 1 spring onion, green and white parts, finely chopped
- 1 bunch of cilantro leafs, finely chopped
- 6 tbsp white vinegar
- juice of 1 lime
- 100 ml water
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl or jar. The sauce will be liquidy. Let set 10 minutes for the flavors to mix. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with food of your choice. Keep in an airtight container or jar in the fridge.
Notes
- Important to chop the ingredients in really small pieces.
- Although you can keep the ají up to 5 days in the fridge, I would not recommend it. The ají will lose color and flavor. Best to eat within 2 days.
