Aji Criollo (Ecuadorian Hot Sauce)
January 11, 2009 | Filed Under Aji Criollo (Ecuadorian Hot Sauce), Cuisines, Ecuadorian Cuisine, Fellow Bloggers, Laylita's Recipes blog, South American Cuisine, Vinaigrettes/Salsas/Sauces
Last week, I wrote about Laylita’s Baked Plaintain with Cheese recipe, which I served with Aji Criollo, an Ecuadorian hot sauce/salsa. The hot sauce adds a bite to the dish served.
For those of you who like their foods hot, this is a hot sauce for you. For those who don’t like or can’t eat spicy, just look at the photo. It’s good and hot and not for the faint of heart, or should I say it’s not for the faint of tongue. You use hot peppers like serranos, jalapenos or habaneros. I chose serranos, which turned out perfect for me. You can also make make the hot sauce a little milder by removing the membranes and the seeds. Of course, I left them in. Of course.
What I loved about this hot sauce is that I could taste the freshness of all the ingredients — the hot peppers, the cilantro (cilantro!), the garlic, lime and onions. It certainly beat the store-bought, preservative-filled bottle of hot sauce any day. I also loved that this hot sauce was easy to make. I simply put the ingredients together in the blender and I was practically done.
According to Laylita, it’s better to finish the hot sauce the same day but it can last up to 3 days. It lasted less than a day and a half in my house. Everyone loved this hot sauce with the baked plantain and used it to eat with other foods the next day. I won’t say who specifically because I do not want to get in trouble, but I spied someone lifting their plate and licking the remnants of the hot sauce clean from it. LOL!
Yeah, it was that good (and hot!).
Oh by the way, did you know that if you eat something that’s too hot for you, you’re not supposed to drink water. That does nothing to lessen the burning of your tongue. Instead, you’re supposed eat a piece of bread. I’ve actually tried it before and found that it does indeed work.
Thanks for the recipe, Laylita!
Paz
Ed. Note: In the post, I mentioned one way to cool down your mouth/tongue after eating something hot (eating a slice of bread). In the comments section, Sra of When My Soup Came Alive added some suggestions — According to her aunt, milk is "supposed to help". On the other hand, Sra has found that drinking hot water "helps" her.
Pia of Serendipity, Synchronicity and Saffron writes that a tomato slice "works wonders".
If you have any tips on how to lessen the heat of a spicy food after taking a bite, please share with us.
Aji Criollo (Ecuadorian Hot Sauce) served with Baked Plantain with Cheese
Aji Criollo (Ecuadorian Hot Sauce)
Ingredients:
4 ajies or hot peppers (jalapenos, serranos and habaneros are good replacements)
1/2 bunch of cilantro (stems and leaves)
1/2 cup of water
3 garlic cloves
Juice from 1/2 lime or lemon
3 Tbs finely chopped white onion (scallions can also be used)
Salt
Preparation:
Combine the hot peppers, cilantro, water, garlic cloves and lime juice in the blender and blend well.
Add the chopped white onions and salt to taste.
Comments
34 Responses to “Aji Criollo (Ecuadorian Hot Sauce)”
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I’m not a huge cilantro fan, but this looks like my kind of spicy condiment!
I love a good hot sauce and this one seems just right to go with the Mexican kick I’m on at the moment.
i never tried making my own hotsauce, maybe it’s about time i did… thanks for sharing…
A wonderful sauce!
Have a great week, Paz!
Cheers,
Rosa
Funny you should mention the chilli heat and how to cool it down – we were discussing this this morning and my aunt said milk is supposed to help but I’ve always found that drinking some hot water helps!
ooh, those look so very good! And I really like Laylita’s blog too!
YUM.
mmm this sounds really good!
Gosh, that looks good with the plantain. I could probably use the heat to get rid of this cold I’ve had.
Oh Paz – a hot sauce made from cilanto? Sounds delicious! Happy New Year to you!
Sounds yummy! Thanks!
Sensational! I have to make this.
Not too hot for me, but this green one looks tempting…..
Looks mesmerizing. . .I can imagine how great it would go with grilled meats.
My favorite color for sauce is green, bar none. This sounds perfect.
LL
Hi Paz… hum, I love hotsauces! This one reminds me of chimichurri, the popular sauce in Argentina, made with parsley though and I think it does not take pepper. We’re back from vacation and I am trying to catch up.
Oh, Paz. How yummy. I wish I could still eat hot peppers. And I adore cilantro. Seriously. It’s adoration, pure and total.
this is just like a green chutney we make in india. we add mint as well.
I wish I would have found this recipe a few days ago—I made a Mexican brunch dish and this would have been a fantastic complement! I’m bookmarking for next time!
Wow this looks good!
You are so speaking my language here. I have that recipe for the plantain bookmarked and now this hot sauce! I LOVE heat!
Hi Paz, that sauce looks and sounds amazing.
I will definitely try it.
I have an addiction to hot sauces.
I’ve never tried a slice of bread to tame the heat;I’ve tried milk and it didn’t work for me (on top of that I really do not like milk)but a slice of tomato works wonders.
I’m going to make this sauce this weekend, Paz. With cilantro from my garden! It still makes me shake my head in wonder that I’ve got cilantro growing.
Hi Paz!
I’m a big fan of spicy! Habeneros are the hottest peppers aren’t they? I grew a beautiful habenero plant one summer and got so many peppers I blanced and froze them. All it takes is one tiny one to heart up an entire pot of soup or stew! They’re fantastic.
I’ve heard eating bread or drinking milk both help cool down the mouth if the pepper is too hot.
Have a good weekend!
Hugs, Pat
Hi Paz, I’ve come here via Wonderful Jasmine up in Canada.
I recently came across information that something fatty counteracts hot chilli style spiciness. Milk may not work for some if their’s is a low fat one. Has left me tempted to try avocado oil, which I love. Or a good olive oil drizzled on good bread
Gosh, cilantro really polarises tastes. I can’t stand the stuff. My dear sister adores it.
Hope you’re keeping warm in your winter (is summer here)
Love your blog, Michelle in Wellington, NZ
Paz–this looks and sounds wonderful–your descriptions have my mouth watering! Laylita is always so inspiring! Milk is a good way to cool a hot mouth down, though a tortilla helps, too. And beer. Though sometimes it makes it worse.
Paz, no posts in a while? How are you?
Hi Paz, haven’t seen any new posts in a long while. Hope you are well?
Thanks, everyone, for stopping by!
Welcome new readers. Michelle in NZ, thanks for the tip about the olive oil or avocado oil.
Thanks, also, for checking up on me. Life’s been keeping me busy but I’m still alive and kicking.
Hugs to all,
Paz
Paz, maybe you could help me on my science fair project. What food/drink cools down a hot mouth the best. I’d think that an experienced chef like you would know some stuff…
I have found milk to be the best “coolant” of hot food, cools the mouth and the stomach. Thanks for this delicious recipe for plantains.
I was told that the fats neutralize the burning on your tongue, that is why milk is supposed to work, but I find that a touch of sour cream or plain yogurt work far better!
Thanks, Miss P., for your input. I’m going to try it next time.
Paz
ahh help i need help with hotsauce in an experiment
what makes drinks cool hot sauce, other than the fat, for somepeople water works, and water does not contain fat.
can you explain WHY it cools down or what makes the hot sauce lose its burn?
an expert chef like you can help me like crazy, along with readers who now what there talking about.
I love the sauce and so does my mom!
