Chili Pepper Sauce (Mozambican Peri Peri Sauce)

Mozambican Peri Peri sauce is hot, spicy and totally addicting. Please note that this is sometimes spelled piri-piri and even pili-pili but they are all referring to the same thing. This is the sauce used for the national dish of Peri peri chicken and also used on shrimp. It is often put on many other food items even cheese if you are diehard peri peri fan. We dipped our chips (fries) in it alongside the chicken. The authentic way to make the sauce is with African bird’s eye chilies however you can use whatever hot chili you like based on your tolerance level. Peri peri in Swahili means pepper-pepper not identifying a certain kind of pepper/chili. Each family has their own recipe for this amazing sauce.
Generally speaking it will contain hot chili peppers chopped, fresh lime or lemon juice, sometimes vinegar, some olive oil, and chopped garlic. Many recipes add some smoked paprika and some salt. Herbs are often added into the mix as well.

1 cup olive oil
¼ cup onions, chopped
½ small red pepper
10 African birds eye chilis or whatever type of chilies you like
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
6 cloves garlic
4 basil leaves optional
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano
1 lemon or two limes, freshly squeezed
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
¼ cup white vinegar

In a food processor or blender put all of the in blend until almost smooth.

Adjust seasonings to taste and refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes 1½ cups.