Tamarillo or tree tomato ají hot sauce / Ecuadorian ají de tomate de árbol
User Reviews
4.8
-
Prep Time
5 mins
-
Cook Time
5 mins
-
Total Time
10 mins
-
Servings
1 to 1 1/2 cups of tamarillo or tree tomato aji
-
Course
Condiments
-
Cuisine
South American, American, Ecuadorian
Tamarillo or tree tomato ají hot sauce / Ecuadorian ají de tomate de árbol
Description
The Tamarillo (tree tomato) ají hot sauce is a traditional Ecuadorian condiment that uses fresh or frozen tree tomatoes combined with hot peppers such as serranos, red chilies, or habaneros. The tree tomatoes are peeled and briefly boiled if fresh, facilitating easier peeling and a smoother puree. Once prepared, they are blended with peeled and seeded hot peppers according to heat preference.
After blending, the mix is cooked briefly with water to develop a thicker consistency and muted acidity, though uncooked versions can be used for a fresher, brighter sauce to be consumed quickly. Onion, lime juice, fresh cilantro, salt, and optionally cooked chochos (lupini beans) are added to finish the sauce, giving it aromatic and tangy notes with mild textural contrast from the beans.
The resulting sauce has a balance of heat, tartness, and herbaceous freshness, making it suitable for serving alongside grilled meats, rice, or as a dipping sauce. It can be served warm or chilled, depending on preference.
For a creamier variation called Cuencano style ají, the recipe suggests replacing the water with a mild oil such as avocado or light olive oil and omitting the cooking step after blending.
Ingredients
- 4-5 tree tomato fresh or frozen
- 2 hot pepper serranos or red chilies are good options, habaneros if you are very brave, or ajies
- 2 tbs onion finely chopped; white onion
- 1 tbs cilantro finely chopped
- 1 tbs lime juice or lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
- salt to taste
- chochos cooked and peeled, optional, or lupini beans
Instructions
- If using fresh tree tomatoes peel them, boil them for about 5 minutes to make it easier to peel them.
- If using frozen tree tomatoes, defrost them over night in the fridge, then cut them in half and scoop out all the insides.
- Blend the tree tomatoes with the hot peppers (seeded and deveined if you want it very mild, you can always save a few seeds and add them in if it’s too mild).
- Transfer the blended mix of tree tomatoes and hot peppers to a small sauce pan, add the water (you can add more if you want a more liquid sauce) and cook on medium heat for about 5-8 minutes. You can also omit the cooking part, the sauce will be fresher, but will need to be consumed faster.
- Add the onion, lime juice, cilantro, chochos (if adding), and salt to taste.
- Serve warm or cold.
Notes
- For a creamier texture, substitute water with mild oil (avocado or light olive oil) and skip cooking after blending for Cuencano style ají.
- Adjust the heat by removing seeds and veins from peppers or adding more seeds for extra spiciness.
- If using frozen tree tomatoes, defrost completely before preparing.
- The sauce can be served warm or cold according to preference.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
You'll Also Love
