Pili Pili (Burundian Chili and Lemon Sauce)
Local name: Pili pili
In short: A sharp, fiery sauce of fresh red chilies, garlic and lemon juice, served beside beans, fish and grilled meat in Burundi. It takes about 15 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 15 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 8 kcal
Pili pili is the hot sauce found beside nearly every meal in Burundi and neighboring countries. It is made fresh from red chilies, garlic, lemon or lime juice and salt, sometimes with a little parsley. It has no oil, so it is clean, tart and very hot. Spoon a little on beans, grilled fish, brochettes or fried plantain, and keep a jar in the fridge for the week.
Instructions
- Wear gloves if you have them. Roughly chop the chilies and garlic.
- Put the chilies, garlic, lemon juice, salt and water in a small blender, or pound them in a mortar, until you have a coarse, pourable sauce.
- Stir in the parsley if using. Leave the sauce for 30 minutes so the flavors blend.
- Taste and add more salt or lemon juice as needed. Spoon into a clean jar.
- Serve in small bowls beside beans, fish or grilled meat. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Tips
- For a milder sauce, remove the seeds and white ribs of the chilies, or use half red chilies and half red bell pepper.
- Avoid adding oil if you plan to store the sauce, since garlic in oil can be unsafe. Without oil, the acidity keeps the sauce fresh in the fridge.
Questions and answers
What does pili pili mean?
It is the Swahili word for chili pepper, and also the name of the sauce made from it across East and Central Africa.
How hot is pili pili?
It can be very hot, depending on the chilies. African bird's eye chilies are the traditional choice. Use fewer or seed them for a milder sauce.
How long does pili pili keep?
A week in a closed jar in the fridge. The color fades slowly, but the flavor stays sharp.
How long does it take to make Pili Pili (Burundian Chili and Lemon Sauce)?
About 15 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 0 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Pili Pili (Burundian Chili and Lemon Sauce)?
About 8 kcal per serving, with 0 g of protein, 2 g of carbohydrates and 0 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 8 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 2 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Sodium | 145 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
