Aji was served at practically every meal in Ecuador. In the jungle, our guide, Diego, decided that it was too mild for him, and asked the kitchen for a hot pepper. When they brought it to him, he chopped it into small pieces with his dinner knife, speared each piece on his fork, and roasted them over the candles that had been lit to light our meal. He tasted the aji after adding the whole pepper to a small dish of it, then dumped in the seeds of the pepper as well. This recipe is much like what we were served in the jungle. The Serrano peppers provide a mild spiciness free of the burning after-effects of jalepeños. Feel free to add to it, Diego-style!
Ingredients: 6 frozen tree tomatoes (tamarillos/tomates de árbol). Can be found here. 2 Serrano peppers (found at any supermarket) ¼ cup white onions, finely chopped 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped or 1 tsp dried cilantro 1 tablespoon lime juice 1/4 cup water salt to taste Directions: 1. Defrost tree tomatoes in the refrigerator. Cut them in half and remove the pulp from the skin. 2. Blend tree tomatoes and seeded peppers until smooth. 3. Cook tomato and pepper mixture in a small sauce pan with the water for 5-10 min. 4. Add onion, lime juice, cilantro, and salt to taste. Remove from heat. This recipe will make approximately 1 ½ - 2 cups of aji. It adds a delicious spiciness when a spoonful is added to a bowl of soup. Use as a dip, a garnish, or a condiment. Keeps well frozen, and up to a week in the fridge.
0 Comments
|
About Me
I am a Christian, aspiring writer, Spanish teacher, sometime miniaturist, and frequent user of random archaic vocabulary. I love to spend time with family and friends. I'm a voracious reader and an eager learner. That's me in a nutshell. Archives |