A highly sought after hot sauce in Ghana, this is one of the easiest and quickest sauces to make. It can be made with habanero pepper, petite belle or scotch bonnet pepper and used as a dip, sauce or marinade for meat or fish. Choose to make it spicy or moderately hot, it all depends on the quantity of pepper you use. Unlike the popular black pepper sauce (shito), this doesn’t require any protein (i.e shrimps and/or meat) making it an ideal vegetarian option.
Before we jump into recipes, let’s get into the low down on hot peppers. In case you didn’t know, they’re natural antimicrobials, which means they can help preserve food for longer by killing germs that make them spoil. Nutritional facts for these peppers indicate that they’re packed with vitamin C , and studies show they have anti-inflammatory properties. Regardless of which type you prefer – habanero, petite belle, scotch bonnet pepper or others, remember that you’re gaining health benefits that are essential to your overall well-being each time you consume it.
What do you need:
30 green habanero pepper/petite belle/scotch bonnet pepper
10 green chilli (optional)
2 large chopped onions
15 cloves garlic
50g ginger
4 tablespoons dried rosemary
2 large bay leaves
1 cup canola oil
Salt (as needed)
How to make it:
- Put the peppers, onions, garlic, ginger and dried rosemary in a blender and add a little water. Blend until smooth.
- Heat the oil and bay leaves in a sauce pan under medium heat until the oil is hot. Then pour the blended ingredients in and allow to cook. Add salt to taste.
- Leave to simmer until the oil settles on top. Allow sauce to cool.
- Serve as a dip, sauce with your favorite foods.