It was probably the Portuguese who introduced the Chilli Pepper as we know it to Europe and the Far East. They were probably also the first to use peppers to create a hot sauce, not hot maybe by today's standards, but nevertheless piri-piri is the Portuguese Original. Look for Cayenne peppers and if you can't get them New Mexico or pequin.
4 chilli peppers, cleaned and finely chopped |
juice of one Lemon |
3 cloves of garlic, minced |
one tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley, (optional) |
one tablespoon Paprika |
4 tablespoons of Olive Oil |
1 teaspoon Salt |
Remove stems and seeds from peppers - take the necessary precautions when handling hot peppers.
Grind and mix all ingredients to a fine paste by hand or use a blender or food processor. If you want to go hotter add ground cayenne pepper of pepper flakes to taste. Cook in a hot frying-pan for a few minutes.
Store in a sterilized jar in the refrigerator. The flavour will develope over the following week.