Shito (Ghanaian Black Pepper Sauce)
In short: A dark, spicy Ghanaian sauce of onion, chilies, ginger, dried shrimp and tomato paste fried slowly in oil until jammy, eaten with rice and fish. It takes about 1 h 15 min in total and makes 16 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 1 h 15 min
- Servings
- 16
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 150 kcal
Shito is Ghana's famous black pepper sauce, a dark, oily, spicy condiment found on tables and in lunchboxes everywhere. Onions, fresh and dried chilies, ginger and garlic are cooked slowly in oil until they darken, with ground dried shrimp and tomato paste for savory depth. A spoonful goes on rice, waakye, kenkey, boiled yam, eggs or bread. It keeps for weeks, so homemade batches are often given as gifts.
Instructions
- Blend the onions, ginger, garlic and fresh peppers to a rough paste with no added water.
- Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pan over medium heat. Add the paste carefully, because it will spit, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until the moisture has cooked off and the paste is dark and jammy.
- Stir in the tomato paste and fry for 5 minutes.
- Add the ground shrimp, dried chili and salt. Cook on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is almost black and the oil clears and rises to the top.
- Cool the shito completely, then spoon it into clean, dry jars and press down. Top with a thin layer of the cooking oil and chill.
Tips
- Cook it low and slow until the sauce stops bubbling. Moisture left in the paste shortens how long the shito keeps.
- For a milder shito, use half the fresh peppers and remove their seeds. For a vegetarian version, leave out the shrimp and add 1 tbsp ground dried mushrooms.
Questions and answers
How long does homemade shito last?
In clean jars with a layer of oil on top it keeps for about 1 month in the fridge. Always use a clean, dry spoon.
Is shito very spicy?
It is medium-hot to hot, depending on the peppers. Start with 2 scotch bonnets and add more if you want a stronger kick.
What do you eat shito with?
Rice dishes such as waakye and jollof, kenkey, fried yam or plantain, boiled eggs and bread. A small spoonful goes a long way.
How long does it take to make Shito (Ghanaian Black Pepper Sauce)?
About 1 h 15 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 50 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Shito (Ghanaian Black Pepper Sauce)?
About 150 kcal per serving, with 2 g of protein, 4 g of carbohydrates and 14 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 150 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 4 g |
| Fat | 14 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Sodium | 260 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
