Pass the Peri-Peri

Whether you call it peri-peri, piri-piri or pili-pili, one thing’s for sure—this is one hot pepper. Its real name is the African bird’seye chili. Portuguese explorers in southern Africa were introduced to this fiery vegetable, for which the Swahili word is “pili-pili.”

The settlers tried in vain to pronounce the foreign word, but “peri-peri” is what rolled off their tongues, and the name stuck. The pepper ranges from one half to one inch in length and tapers at a blunt point. Green means immature and bright red means ready to use. The small package packs a mighty punch with a 175,000 rating on the Scoville scale (which measures the hotness of chili peppers). The chili is most commonly used in a sauce, combined with other spices and seasonings.

It can be poured over everything from poultry and meats to shellfish. Although it’s not easy to find in your local store, various Web sites are making the sauces available in the United States. The Mozambique Spice Company (mozambiquespicecompany.com) sells peri-peri sauce, which combines the bird’s eye pepper with roasted tomatoes, garlic, citrus, apple cider vinegar and fresh herbs. With locations on five continents, Nando’s (nandosusa. com) famous peri-peri sauce is available online, in addition to stir-fry sauces, marinades and rubs. And Zulu Zulu (zuluzulu.com) sells its all-natural periperi sauce in five varieties. No matter what form you like best, keep a glass of milk handy when eating anything with peri-peri. Water just ain’t gonna cut it.

Mozambique
1740 SOUTH PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY
LAGUNA BEACH
(949) 715-7100
Located about 60 miles south of
L.A., this South African-themed restaurant is dedicated to all things peri-peri. Executive Chef Alfonso Contrisciani—whose prestigious accomplishments include “Restaurateur of the Year” by the International Food & Beverage Forum—prepares dishes like periperi prawns and crisped peri-peri rotisserie chicken. The hot flavor also makes its way to the bar in the “Spice,” vodka infused with fresh fruit and a peri-peri pineapple.

WEB SITE | www.mozambiqueoc.com

EMERIL’S NEW ORLEANS FISH HOUSE
3799 LAS VEGAS BLVD. S.
LAS VEGAS
(702) 891-7374
This award-winning restaurant from world-renowned chef Emeril Lagasse is located in the MGM Grand Hotel. The menu features “new” New Orleans’ seafood with Creole and Cajun influences. The spicy ingredient of note is worked into the “Piri-Piri Pasta,” made with gulf shrimp, clams, oysters and lobster, cooked with chorizo in a piri-piri broth and served with fresh fettucini.

WEB SITE | www.emerils.com

10 DEGREES SOUTH
4183 ROSWELL RD.
ATLANTA
(404) 705-8870
A fusion of French, Portuguese, Dutch, German and Malaysian cuisines, South African food is a melting pot of flavors—which could explain the why the menu at 10 Degrees South is anything but bland. This sleek and contemporary eatery has a lineup bursting with peri-peri sauce, from the calamari, prawns and chicken livers on the appetizer menu to the peri-peri chicken entrée.

WEB SITE | www.10degreessouth.com