Pili Pili Sauce

A picture showing two jars of pilipili ya kukaanga sauce.

Transform your meals with this spicy African pili pili sauce. Aromatic, flavorful and easy to make, this pilipili ya kukaanga is a must-try!

Course Dinner, Dips, Dressings and Sauces, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine African

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 15

Servings

Calories 53kcal

Author Kate Hahnel

Equipment

Ingredients

2 tablespoon tomato paste
4 ripe medium-sized tomatoes
4 African bird eye chilli (deseeded)
5-6 cloves of garlic
½ cup extra virgin olive oil (or preferred cooking oil)
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garam masala (or your preferred choice of spice)
1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
juice of one small lime (or half a lemon)

Instructions

Into a blender, add the tomatoes, de-seeded African bird eye chilies, garlic cloves, salt, garam masala, and paprika, then process until smooth.
4 ripe medium-sized tomatoes, 4 African bird eye chilli, 5-6 cloves of garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
Heat oil in a pan under low to medium heat. Next, add in the tomato paste and stir for about a minute, so it does not burn. Add the blended vegetables and combine.
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoon tomato paste
Cover and allow the sauce to cook for about 20-25 minutes at low heat, stirring from time to time. You will know it is done when much of the water has evaporated, the tomato mass separates from the oil, and the sauce changes color to a darker red.
Add the lime juice, stir, and allow it to cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
juice of one small lime
Remove the pan from the heat, allow the oil to cool slightly, then strain off any excess oil (do not throw this away, keep it in the fridge to use in other recipes). Allow the sauce to cool completely then transfer it to a sterilized jar.
Serve your pili pili ya kukaanga sauce as a condiment alongside your favourite dishes, use it as a marinade, or add it to food when cooking.

Video

Notes

stir regularly to prevent your tomatoes from burning and turning bitter.
the color and intensity of the heat of your sauce will vary depending on the type of chilis you use, and whether or not you use the seeds of chili pepper.
make sure to use enough oil when cooking the sauce as this assists with preservation and helps keep the sauce longer.
skip de-seeding the chili peppers if you prefer your African hot sauce spicier.
Use your favorite herbs and spices, in place of the garam masala and paprika. Bay leaves, curry powder, cumin, coriander (cilantro), and thyme particularly work well. Also, substitute the African bird eye chilis for any hot chili peppers such as habanero.

Nutritional information is an estimate calculated based on tools we use and will differ depending on the products you use. It has also only been calculated with a quarter of the amount of cooking oil, as the rest of the oil is strained in this recipe.

Nutrition