Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup raw walnuts, ground
• 1  cup vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Over medium-low heat, fry rice flour in olive oil, stirring constantly, until slightly golden, about 1 minute.
2. Add ground walnuts, vegetable stock, lemon juice, and pepper, and increase to high heat.
3. Bring liquid to a boil, whisking occasionally, then reduce heat to medium. Continue to simmer until gravy thickens, about 2 minutes.
4. Season with salt to taste.

Purslane Chimichurri

Ingredients

• 1 cup purslane leaves
• 1 cup parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.

This Peruvian-inspired hot pepper sauce, or ají, is a great way to add some tangy heat to your meals.  Ajíes are commonly used as a tabletop condiment, but they also make a nice spicy base for sautes and stir fries.  As a commenter below pointed out, aji is actually the word for a species of chili pepper, but we found the term to be used pretty interchangeably for any pepper-based spicy table condiment in Peru and Ecuador.

We made this ají with seasonal peppers, including serranos, hinkelhatz, and sweet Ringos, from Johnson’s Backyard Garden in Austin, TX.  We seeded about half of the hot peppers, but feel free to seed more if you don’t like a lot of heat, or less if you like more!

JBG Ají

Ingredients

• 6 ounces mixed hot peppers, topped and (optionally) seeded
• 1 large Ringo pepper, chopped (or half of a yellow bell pepper) and seeded
• 2 medium cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup key lime juice
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine peppers, garlic, and lime juice in a food processor or blender and process until thoroughly chopped.
2. Season to taste, but be careful because those tastes will be hot!

Store in a glass container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator (though you’ll probably use it up before then).

Fresh aji amarillo at a market in Peru.

The famed Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio said that  ají amarillo is the most important ingredient in Peruvian cooking. Ají amarillo is a pepper paste made from capsicum baccatum peppers which flourish along the Peruvian coast and in Andean valleys.  The whole fresh peppers are widely available in Peru, but home cooks typically purchase pre-made pastes which are in every grocery store and market in the country. In the United States, these pastes are available in many Latin markets, but there are also these ordering options on-line:

Amazon

Amigo Foods

The Latin Products

Another possibility for a DIY cook with a green thumb is to grow your own peppers. The seeds are available online at Reimer Seeds.

This simple pepper sauce (known as an ají in South America) is a great table condiment and will add a hint (or a punch!) of spiciness to your next meal.

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh red peppers, veined and chopped (a mix of both hot and sweet, depending on your preference)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 teaspoons key lime juice (about 3 limes’ worth)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• water
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup diced scallions or green onions
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. In a blender or food processor, combine peppers, garlic, key lime juice, and olive oil. Puree until smooth, adding just enough water (usually about 1/4 cup) to encourage blending.
2. Transfer puree to a bowl and add cilantro, green onions, and salt and pepper.  Mix until incorporated.
3. Serve with your next meal!

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.