I can’t remember where I found this recipe…it’s something I stumbled across online a while ago and i noted down in my trusty notebook where it lay forgotten until a couple of weeks ago. My Lemon Drop plant has been podding like crazy in our conservatory, producing well over 125 pods this year so I was wondering what to do with them all when i remembered this recipe.
From memory, I think the recipe originates from South America, Peru I believe. No matter were it comes from this recipe is quite unlike all for the other hot sauce/salsa recipes I’ve tried before. Uniquely sweet thanks to the mango and shallots yet with a wonderful citrus flavour with a nice level of heat.
It’s worth noting that the original recipe states the use of shallot infused vinegar (see recipe below). While you could use just plain white wine vinegar I definitely think it’s worth the extra effort and time to add the shallot flavour to the salsa.
Aji Lemon Salsa Ingredients
- 200g Aji Lemon (Lemon Drop) chillies
- 250g of yellow bell (sweet) peppers
- 2 fresh mangoes (peeled and pitted)
- 1 cup of light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt
- 2 teaspoons of ground ginger powder
- 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 cups of shallot flavored vinegar
- 1 cup of lime juice
1. Add all of the ingredients to a pan and cook slowly until the peppers are soft (about 30 mins).
2. Add the cooked mixture to a food processor and blend to a smooth batter.
3. Return to the pan and then bring back up to a gentle boil, skimming off any foam/scum.
4. After 15 minutes add the lime juice and stir thoroughly.
5. Add the mixture to steralised jars and store the salsa in a cool dark place.
It should keep for a few months if unopened. However once you’ve tasted it, it will most likely last nowhere near that long!
Shallot infused vinegar
This takes a week to make but it is well worth the additional preparation.
1. Take a clean empty wine bottle and fill it 1/3 up with chopped shallots.
2. Add approximately 3 cups of good quality white wine vinegar and mix well by giving the bottle a gentle shake.
3. Seal the bottle and store in a cool dark place for at least a week for the shallot flavour to infuse into the vinegar.
4. Strain through a fine sieve or some muslin before using.
Do you de-seed the chillies in this recipe?
thanks
I dont but it comes down to a matter of taste. Removing the seeds will reduce the heat levels in the sauce.
This is a killer hot sauce!!! I use a similar recipe as above (minor modifications and without the mustard). Also, I use yellow wax chiles/gueros instead of yellow bell peppers. Although the sauce is moderately hot, you can use it quite liberally on sandwiches (like subs or po-boys with lots of lettuce, onion, and tomatoes) without worry about it being too spicy. It’s to die for!!! The first time I made this sauce a few years ago, I said to myself “Sriracha, step aside! There’s a new boss in town!”
This tastes amazing! I put the salsa into a sterilised bottle. .. it’s so thick… I didn’t think… how can I thin it down without losing the flavour please? Jars next time!
If the sauce gets too thick I suggest to thin it out by adding more vinegar/lime juice and/or water. The acidity in the lime juice and vinegar is what keeps the sauce fresh and you absolutely want to hit a Ph of 4,5 or lower or it will go bad fast. If the Ph is lower than 4 it’s most likely shelf stable but if you’re going to keep it in the fridge 4.5 will be enough. By diluting the sauce with water your Ph will change and make the shelf life shorter so don’t be too overly generous with water if you decide to use that to make the sauce less viscous. The good thing about water is that it has literally zero taste so it won’t change the flavor of your hot sauce very much when added in moderate amounts, unlike the vinegar and lime juice. So it really is your poison to pick. I would probably just go for mostly acidity and just a little splash of water but that’s just me.
Thanks! We have a ton of lemon peppers and now we know what to do with them!
I saw lime juice but you didn’t mention zest till end?
Hi Betsy,
Apologies, that’s meant to say juice. I’ve amended the recipe above.
Excellent, thanks for the post. I modified it slightly by using fresh ginger as well as dry, a tablespoon of turmeric, as I thought it would go well, and reducing the salt to 2 teaspoons. An excellent use of ample Aji Limon.
Den,
Glad you liked it. Aji Lemon peppers are my favourite by a log way. Combined with the mango this is an ideal recipe!
Thanks for putting this and the other recipes on ! I’m going to try this one (maybe substituting Tabasco chillis as I have some on the plant still) and the chilli flakes.
Rich