Aji Amarillo Paste
Peru's essential fruity, medium-hot yellow chili paste, central to dishes like aji de gallina.
Condiment
Vegan
How this varies: Some cooks skip boiling entirely and use the peppers raw for a hotter, more vegetal paste (common in dishes meant to carry real heat) — a legitimate stylistic choice, but a hotter variant, not the default technique.
Ingredients
- 10 aji amarillo peppers, stemmed, seeded, and deveined (white internal membranes removed — this is where most of the heat lives)
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 clove garlic
- Salt, to taste
Steps
- If using fresh peppers, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the peppers and boil 8-10 minutes, then drain.
- Repeat the boil-and-drain a second time with fresh water — this desflemado step is the standard technique for tempering aji amarillo's heat while keeping its distinctive fruity flavor; skip the second boil only for a hotter paste.
- Blend the boiled (or thawed frozen) peppers with garlic and oil into a smooth, bright orange paste, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen it.
- Season with salt.
- Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze in small portions.