Peri Peri Sauce

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

If you love a spicy condiment like sriracha or harissa paste, you’re going to love zingy peri peri sauce. Growing up in Southern Africa, I was familiar with peri peri because of Nando’s, the famous chicken chain that spread the popularity of Mozambique’s peri-peri across the region (as well as parts of Asia, the UK, and beyond). But it became a more integral part of my life when I met my Mozambican husband.

Ingredients

4 ounces red Thai or African bird’s-eye chiles (about 2 loosely packed cups)
1 medium yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
1 medium lemon
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Prepare the following, placing each in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment or a blender as you complete it: Trim the stems from 4 ounces red bird’s-eye chiles. Peel and coarsely chop 1 medium yellow onion and 2 garlic cloves.
Process or blend until finely chopped into a chunky paste-like texture, scraping down the sides of the vessel if needed, about 20 seconds. If you have difficulty blending, add some of the vinegar to assist in the blending. Transfer to an 8-ounce or larger glass jar.
Juice 1 medium lemon (about 2 tablespoons) and add to the chile mixture. Add 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar, 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Seal the jar and shake until combined and the mixture looks emulsified, about 7 seconds.