Lemon Drop Chilli
• The Lemon Aji Chilli
• The Aji Limon Chilli
• The Hot Lemon Chilli
• The Hot Lemon Drop Chilli.
‘Aji’ is the Nahuatl word for ‘chilli’.
The Lemon Drop Chilli is a hot, citrus-like, lemon-flavored chilli pepper which is a popular seasoning in Peru, where it originates.
The bright yellow, crinkled, cone-shaped fruits are about 2.5 in long, and they have fewer seeds than the average chilli pepper, containing 15 on average.
The heat level of this chilli in Scoville Heat units ranges from 15,000 to 30,000 SHU approximately.
Lemon Drop Chillies are a wonderful ingredient for stir fries. You can also use them to make Aji Amarillo Molido ( Peruvian Yellow Pepper Paste), Aji Lemon and Mango Sauce, Ají Limón Jelly or Aji Seco.
This is quite unlike other hot salsas. It is uniquely sweet thanks to the mango and shallots, yet with a wonderful citrus flavour and a good level of heat.
• 200g Lemon Drop Chillies
• 250g yellow capsicums
• 2 fresh mangoes, peeled and pitted (you can use frozen mango if necessary)
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 2 teaspoons of ground ginger powder
• 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 cups of shallot flavoured vinegar (While you can use plain white wine vinegar it is worth the extra effort and time to add the shallot flavour to the salsa.)
• 1 cup of lime juice
1. Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan and cook slowly until the capsicums are soft (about 30 mins).
2. Add the cooked mixture to a food processor and blend to a smooth butter.
3. Return to the pan and then bring back up to a gentle boil, skimming off any foam/scum.
4. After 15 minutes add the lime juice and stir thoroughly.
5. Pour the mixture into sterilised jars, seal and store the salsa in a cool dark place.
It should keep for a few months if unopened. However once you’ve tasted it, you’ll probably eat it sooner than that!